Addictive Poison
by Chimuwaku
Summary: Sakura is ordered to infiltrate Orochimaru's lair to take a vital piece of information, but does not escape. The reason? Kabuto Yakushi has taken her as his prisoner. For a mysterious reason, Orochimaru wants her alive. It hurts to see that Sasuke hates her, and Kabuto makes it so much worse..and then so much better. Until lies and tough choices..then its harder than ever. [Hiatus]
1. Chapter 1

Hi! Here's a little bit of need to know stuff. First, My friend _**sekesakura** _and I co-write this. She writes team seven and I write Kabuto, Itachi, and Orochimaru. Secondly, I definitely do not own Naruto! If I did, I'd have written the manga completely different and added an itachi-sakura-kabuto love triangle. And thirdly, any ratings, suggestions, or criticism is welcome! I hope you enjoy c:

Also, just in case you're not familiar with some of the common Japanese terms we (mostly she because she's awesome) use..

Kami - God

Itaii - ow

Arigato - Thank you

Baka - stupid, idiot, ect.

Nonde - Why

Nani - What

Matte - Wait

Demo - But

Ano - Uhh..

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_"Sakura, I have a task of great importance for you, I need someone to act as a spy in the midst of the Sound. Be forewarned, I am sure I do not have to tell you that this is very dangerous. We've already lost a few operatives to this. I don't know what's going on, but I need you to find out, can you do this for me? I knew if I told Naruto what was going on, he'd do everything in his power to keep you from going, and yet you're the only one that's managed to get into their hideout before…I do understand if you wish to decline.."_ Lady Tsunade's words rang in the pink haired kunoichi's mind as she sat, perched, in a tree, watching, waiting. "_I'll do it, Lady Tsunade. I accept this with full confidence. Don't worry about Naruto, he'll just think I've gone off to the training fields again…When do I leave…?"_.

This was all so boring. The discussion between her and Tsunade continuously replayed in her mind until finally, she snapped out of it and managed to focus. Large and tired emerald-green eyes slowly started to flutter shut. She was so exhausted. No ninja, no matter how strong nor resilient could stay up for three days straight and be fully focused and energized. Finally, after another hour, her eyes shut all the way. Sakura leaned against the tree and started to fall into slumber, a deep slumber, but then she realized it and stabbed herself in the leg, just enough to get the message across. _I have to stay awake,_ she thought, rubbing her tired and bloodshot eyes as well as healing her small wound. _Lady Tsunade is counting on me and I can't fail her..._.

The girl let out a small yawn. If she could get a bit farther, just enough to where it was safe, then she could set up somewhere to sleep until morning._But where is that stupid base...?_ she wondered, annoyed with herself for not being awake enough to assess this properly. _They're constantly on the move, it's hard to place where they could be now…Come to think of it, I'm starting to wonder why she would send me anyway..I'm a medical nin, not an Anbu or a spy…Although, she did mention that part of it had to do with my earlier endeavors…_.

Sakura sighed and pushed back a few strands of her bubblegum pink hair. Even if it was short, it tended to get in her face and annoy her.

"Ugh.." she grumbled to herself as the wind picked up immensely.

The air was crisp and unbearably bitter. The cold air sent chills down the girl's spine just by being out in it for a few seconds. _It's too freaking cold out here! CHAA!_ Her inner self was even complaining, that was never a good thing. _You shouldn't even be here! You should be training! Do you 'want' to keep having that dream?! "I suppose, it could not hurt to sleep. I can always pick back up in the morning, right?"_ Having ignored her inner self and convinced of her own dire need for rest , Sakura yawned, a bit bigger this time, and lay back against the tree she was in.

She was not worried about falling, because as long as she kept her chakra flowing, she could stick herself to the tree. The truly amazing part was that she'd gotten so good at it lately that she could do it in her sleep.

"At least one good thing has come out of my constant training. Goodnight…" she said to no one in particular, half expecting to see Naruto beside her.

When the bubbly blond-haired boy was not there however, Sakura became sad. Only lately had she noticed that she felt rather lonely without him. She only let her face fall for a moment though, because this mission was important and she could not allow herself to be distracted by anyone or anything.

"It's alright.." she said very quietly, "I'll see you again soon, Naruto, I have to finish this for Lady Tsunade, then we can go get ramen at Ichira-..." Sakura did not even get to finish her sentence because she was asleep about halfway through it. That was all it had taken. Thankfully, she slept well, until the very next morning.

* * *

A loud noise awoke the pink haired kunoichi. Her still exhausted eyes glanced about, darting from side to side in trying to find the source in its entirety.

"What on earth..?" she mumbled, again half expecting to wake in bed while Naruto clumsily crawled in her window.

After a moment or two, she looked over and saw something that looked like a sand ninja clashing with one wearing a sound headband. Sakura quirked a brow and watched the fight for a few moments. The sand ninja was victorious but at the cost of bleeding to death. They had both perished, and that was when Sakura began to realize just how dangerous this could be.

"It doesn't matter…" she spoke very quietly, her throat was hoarse and her body was aching, "I'll not fail Lady Tsunade. I have to show them, I have to prove to everyone that I can do this and I'm not weak. I have to prove that I've changed and I can protect them now, not the other way around…"

The newly determined rosette stood up from her hiding place. To jump out now would not be wise, but the good thing was, if there were a sound ninja here, the newest hideout site could not be too far away. The girl was not a tracking ninja like Kiba so she didn't really specialize in that area, but she found enough clues after searching the corpses that got her the information she sought.

Pretty soon, she was off. Sakura leaped from the tree in the direction the ninja had come from, soon coming upon what looked like a normal cave. However, the girl's piercing gaze saw through it and she felt a tad triumphant realizing upon further investigation that she'd found it. _Well, this is it..._ she thought, a smile coming across her facial features at the simple thought of how well this was going so far. _Now I just have to remain undetected.._ Slipping into the entrance, the girl stayed as quiet as possible. For now, everything seemed normal. No one was around and that made things a lot easier. After a few minutes of sneaking around, Sakura spotted something that caught her attention. It was what appeared to be a journal or some sort of entry log, sitting atop a desk that looked like it had recently been used. Skimming through the pages, the pink haired girl found something she had needed and slipped the book into her pack, quietly darting back into the darkness as she began to make her way through the maze back to the entrance.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto was unhappy. No, that wasn't quite right. He was discontent. Uninterested. Unusually unmotivated. He aspired to be useful, and today he was feeling useless. Orochimaru-sama was busy with his Sasuke-kun yet again, leaving the **completely indifferent** grey haired male with useless busy work. Although there was no sun light in this dark cave he called home, he knew it was early in the morning and time to begin his tasks of the day.

_Orochimaru-sama ordered me to guard the area. However, he also told me to replenish my supply of medical goods and be ready for several of any possible injuries. He also mentioned taking care of some of the very uncooperative convicts, snatch a specific scroll from the wife of an important military leader, and develop an even higher dose of medicine for his deteriorating body. Frankly, I believe doing all of this at once is impossible._

The chair he was sitting in screeched against the cold hard ground as he pushed away and rose from his worn, rusty desk. He gazed at the coppery tarnish with a fixed expression.

_The odds are greatly against any intruder, even without my help. The odds are any medication I give Orochimaru-sama will only help for a short period, which I greatly regret but can't change. The odds are stubborn convicts will remain silent. At least that task might be slightly entertaining. Medicine is of course the first priority, both for Orochimaru-sama and for whoever he deems worthy of life.._

Being a medical ninja had its perks. He wasn't going to be dead any time soon, for one. Not that many people had the skill and knowledge to kill him, and he had the knowledge to save himself from any injury that wasn't instantly fatal. He pushed his glasses up with two fingers, adjusting them to fit more comfortably, and a mischievous grin ran across his also took advantage of you, of course. But as long as you knew that, it was okay. If they need you more than you need them, you'll be the one throwing the dice.

Whether Orochimaru knew it or not, Kabuto was controlling the game.

Still, he gladly did what he told him to do, because he had nothing but utter respect for the serpent. One day he would be like him. Orochimaru-sama was slick, coy, and filled with malicious intent that was almost as sadistic as the medic nin. He knew who he was, and Kabuto wanted the same for himself. It seems he had found it in these years of being his right hand man.

Still, something wasn't right.

He left the bland room surround by cave walls and followed the path of several distinct winding paths until met with the outside glow of daylight. He leaped up on a tree branch before making his way into the forest. If he listened closely, he could hear the quiet chirping of birds and the steps of smaller creatures beneath him. They neither bothered nor interested him at the moment, although animal behavior was interesting to study. He casually jumped down from a tree as he recognized the area. The plants he was looking for now were easy to find and close by, thus taking very little time at all. He quickly picked them from the ground, and traveled back. He would have to go farther out next trip. For now, he would return with these plants and perhaps take a leisurely break down to the inmates and captives that held potentially vital information.

He first stored away the herbs and flowers that would later need to be crushed and transformed into medicine, but on his way out he noticed something. Or rather, noticed the lack of something. His desk appeared much emptier than it should, and he easily recognized what was missing. His onyx eyes narrowed in suspicion, because this was not something that he would have simply misplaced. He didn't loose things.

He turned his head to the left when he sensed a very faint chakra source. It was much too miniscule to recognize, but somehow it seemed familiar to him in some way. All he could tell was that this person - perhaps an intruder - was either too exhausted or injured to continue hiding his presence. In a second he was off, silently tailing whoever dared to enter and probably _steal_ belongings.

Whoever it was seemed in a hurry, making it nearly certain that they had a secretive purpose for being here. This wasn't a random stranger stopping by to say hello. Kabuto knew it would be wise to confront the person inside, but instincts were telling him to continue outside. He decided to ignore them, much preferring statistical odds. He decided to corner the person he was following, which was easy when he knew the confusing hallways better than anyone else could. He simply took a shortcut to the way outside. By the time he reached the end of his path, he could also faintly hear footsteps approaching. He leaned against the wall, positioned to jump out and strike as soon as she passed the corner. His hands filled with chakra and glowed, and it was time. Without hesitation, he lunged at the intruder and attempted to injure and push him into the wall.

And as soon as his eyes connected with _hers_, they widened slightly.

It didn't really matter to him who it was, but it did surprise him to see her. She looked much, much different from the last time he had seen her. Although she certainly looked a bit more mature, he doubted she actually was. Perhaps it was just because she wasn't being protected by Naruto, a boy Kabuto himself had grown a slight liking to. Even if he was a bit idiotic and not at all rational, his determination was..interesting.

He pushed her against the wall, holding her back.

"Long time no see, Sakura. I must say, I really wasn't expecting you. No offense of course, but I thought you konaha ninja had learned when to give up by now."

He was a good half a foot taller than her, and undoubtedly stronger. She also looked fairly exhausted, so he had no doubts that he could defeat her. Although, knowing the style of ninja from Konahagakure, she wasn't likely to give up.

Kabuto also knew that she, or someone she was with, had stolen the journal. But letting her know that he knew was probably not wise."If you tell me what you're doing here, maybe I'll be kind enough to let you go. If there is no reason to kill you, I wont. Of course, it might be a little fun.."he offered, chuckling.

He then slowly glided his glowing hand down her neck, watching as a small line of blood slowly trickled from her vein and seeped out from the wound before dripping on the floor below them. Every droplet splashed, and the splashes echoed in the quiet cave.

"I wonder what Sasuke would think about this. It is very unlikely, and disturbing, that he would be concerned. Most likely he wouldn't even care. I genuinely feel bad for you, even if it would be amusing for me to watch him watch me kill you, and him standing there apathetic towards the situation. If you'd like me to take you to him, I can. Maybe I'll even give you some time alone."he suggested. _Looks like I've proved myself useful once again_. He smirked, pushing her tighter against the wall. "And then maybe I'll keep you here for a bit. You can join the others. You might even be a tad bit useful to Orochimaru-sama. If not though, I'm afraid I will have to kill you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Sakura**

* * *

_Kami, I'm tired..That's all I remember thinking. I had successfully stolen the book and was now to return to Konoha and deliver it to Lady Tsunade. The fruits of my labor would be recognized and it would be known that I was not a force to be trifled with. Yes, all the glory and praise had begun to get to my head before it had even happened, and that's when I started to slip up..._.

Sakura was so exhausted that her chakra levels were depleting, even so, it was quite awhile before she was discovered by the enemy. Not having much chakra at the time anyway, her presence was a bit obvious and she was unable to cloak it as she did earlier on her way in. _The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is sleep..I don't even care what Naruto or anyone else says. I've been on that field for days on end at a time in the past few months, and in these past few days, I've done nothing but something a tracking ninja should do. Come to think of it, Kiba would have been pretty useful in this situation.._ The young woman became lost in thought as she neared the entrance's opening.

_Maybe it was my carelessness. Maybe it was that I was lost in thought and pondering the fact that it was possible I might see Sasuke kun again. Maybe it was my sheer exhaustion. Whatever the case may be, I soon found myself against a cold and sharp wall._.

The young woman's emerald orbs widened at the sight of _him._

"Kabuto Yakushi..." she managed to utter quietly, irritated that she'd practically walked right into him and not noticed it until there was a searing pain in her back.

Of course, the insults started and Sakura was not in the mood to deal with him or pretty much anyone else for that matter.

"I thought you'd realize that we Konoha ninja _never_ give up. I suppose I was wrong to think you intelligent. No offense."

Her retorts were partly out of irritation and partly out of the fact that, for some reason, it was fun to leave the boy with glasses surprised. _It really has been awhile...A few years I think..He looks a little more mature than I remember, but that annoying personality of his hasn't seemed to have changed a bit..._.

"If you tell me what you're doing here, maybe I'll be kind enough to let you go. If there is no reason to kill you, I wont. Of course, it might be a little fun.." _And there's that __**beautiful**__ sense of humor of his.._

"Hn, tempting, but I'm not going to tell you why I'm here. Let's try it this way, let go of me or I'll hit you so hard that your head spins around a few times.."

_Maybe he won't notice that I have little to no chakra at the moment because I really can't afford to get caught now.._ It was then that the pink haired woman's eyes widened again because she watched in horror as the glowing hand slid down her delicate neck, blood forming at the source and trickling down until it hit the ground with a splash. Sakura winced in pain, trying to gather up what strength she 'did' have so that she could at least push or kick him off and make a run for it. _Kami, it hurts..It'd be less painful if I could heal it or if I wasn't trying not to lose consciousness right now..No. I can't do that. It's not an option!_.

"I wonder what Sasuke would think about this. It is very unlikely, and disturbing, that he would be concerned. Most likely he wouldn't even care. I genuinely feel bad for you, even if it would be amusing for me to watch him watch me kill you, and him standing there apathetic towards the situation. If you'd like me to take you to him, I can. Maybe I'll even give you some time alone. And then maybe I'll keep you here for a bit. You can join the others. You might even be a tad bit useful to Orochimaru-sama. If not though, I'm afraid I will have to kill you." His words rang in her mind like wildfire. _No...Surely Sasuke kun wouldn't just stand there and watch me die.._ Sakura had to shake her head slightly, for her eyes had glazed over and taken her mind to a place it didn't wish to venture. _No! I am not going to die and I __**will**__ help Naruto save Sasuke kun!_.

"Are you done talking..?" she asked, masking her panting breaths with her sarcasm. "I don't wish to see Sasuke kun. He's not why I'm here..and as far as dying goes, that's not on my list of things to do today., nor am I willing to stay here for any longer than I have to."

With the only remaining strength she had left, even as she felt herself being pressed harder against the wall behind her, pushing the rock into her back and making it very painful and uncomfortable, the young woman raised her foot and kicked off, hoping to at least get him off so she could get away.

"I've already acquired what I need, or should I say that my teammate has. He's already headed back to Konoha as we speak.."

_Let's just hope I can still bluff because that's obviously a lie.._.

* * *

***I apologize for a lack of Kabuto in this chapter. I typed it up, but it somehow got deleted. I'll rewrite it again sometime, but for now I'll just sum up what happened. Kabuto gets mad at Sakura for calling him an idiot, toys with her emotions a bit, talks about Sasuke, and accuses her of lying about a teammate being there. Oh! And Kabuto fell and lost his glasses, and he kindly asks Sakura to give them to him, but lets her know that he wont let her go even if she does.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sakura**

* * *

_So, he can feel my sarcasm radiating from me? Good. I have to admit that it pissed me off that he was always so calm, even when in situations like this. Still, I could also tell that I was getting to him, even if it was only a little. Kabuto Yakushi was letting his guard down around 'a mere child' in his eyes. That would be one to tell Naruto when I got home._.

"I don't really care if you feel it radiating from me. I'm not rude, simply honest. Why on earth would I want to be like more like you? The nerdy four eyes look is more your thing anyway."

Sakura could tease people when she felt like it, and it was particularly fun when it was so easy to mess with someone normally so hard to get to.

"Not to mention that you've no idea how much growing up I've done, so shut your mouth, or I'd be more than happy to shut it for you."

It almost seemed like he found it funny when the girl had threatened to hit him. _That's weird.._ The pinkette shook her head and forced herself to focus as she realized that in the next instant, her plan had worked.

_No way, I actually did it? Wow. He's out of it today. Good thing for me._ Kabuto looked severely pissed off as he fell to the ground and looked up at the girl with a small bit of weakness of his face. That was gone in an instant and his normal expression soon replaced it. "You say your teammate has what you came for, however I don't believe you. We both know Naruto is pathetic at sneaking and entering, and I would have heard or sensed him. Of course, it is fully possible you came with another teammate, however I'll tell you why I don't believe that either. Tsunade would know that there are better odds of one person sneaking in, instead of two. Seeing as I just recently came in from the outside, I probably would have seen this teammate of yours if he was here. Would you be so kind as to hand me my glasses?"

Sakura was no fool. She could see through the smile that adorned Kabuto's face when he looked up at her to ask for his glasses back. It held a very sinister intention and she was not about to stick around for what was to come should he get up and manage to get a hold of her again.

"Regardless of whether you believe me about my teammate, he has already left. Here is why you're an idiot."

The pink haired kunoichi mocked him as she spoke, matching his calm and stoic tone of voice pretty closely as she did so.

"It's true that Lady Tsunade felt that one person would have more luck than two, but who is to say that my teammate was not outside and in hiding? I retrieved what we came for, got it to him, and while you were waiting at the entrance to stop me, he went a different way and made it out. Too bad that you're not smart enough to sense more than one chakra stream. I guess 'you' just have a lot of growing up to do.".

"Of course, I wont go any easier on you, so if you want to take this opportunity to run instead, go ahead. I can catch up to you though, believe me." After listening to him talk for another minute or two, Sakura pretended to think about what he'd said.

"So, you want these, right?" she asked, sweetness laced into her sarcastic tone. "Sorry, but I'm no fool. Not anymore."

With that, she kicked the glasses further away from him, though it wasn't far because she couldn't use chakra to lengthen the distance. Regardless, he would have to get up and move if he wanted the frames now and Sakura gave a short and mocking wave before darting off. "Later, four eyes. Better luck next time!".

_I ran. I ran as fast as I could. At the time, I didn't realize just how much growing up I really did need to do. I thought that everything would fall into place. I thought I had won, finally, I had won a game of chess against the analytical and calculating Kabuto Yakushi. Sometimes, when I think back on it, I really do see how immature I was, and it's rather embarrassing. Children do like their games, though, and I was about to get more than I bargained for. I could just feel it._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Sakura Haruno was, as much as he didn't like to admit it, interesting.

Really annoying, but still interesting.

"It's true that Lady Tsunade felt that one person would have more luck than two, but who is to say that my teammate was not outside and in hiding? I retrieved what we came for, got it to him, and while you were waiting at the entrance to stop me, he went a different way and made it out. Too bad that you're not smart enough to sense more than one chakra stream. I guess 'you' just have a lot of growing up to do."

People didn't usually call him an idiot, much less do it several times in such a short time period. And she was mocking him. Although her words seemed to make sense, he knew something she didn't. Something that proved her whole theory wrong. Of course, she would find out soon enough. No need to spoil the surprise.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm several years older than you, and you're telling me to grow up? You could at least respect your elders a little more."

She then asked if he wanted his glasses, and damn he knew she was toying with him. Obviously he wanted them. But he had tried to ask nicely, and if that didn't work than nothing would. He had figured she was going to run, anyways. It was the intelligent decision. Perhaps she was a bit smarter than he had given her credit for. Just a little though, because he still had tricks left to unveil.

"I would actually like those, thank you."he responded sarcastically, and then laughed under his breath. "I never said you were a fool, but I admit I might have thought it once or twice. No offense

Although he couldn't really see it, he definitely heard her kick his glasses. They skidded across the ground and - thankfully - didn't seem to slide through her bloodstain.

"Later, four eyes. Better luck next time!". she shouted, and took off for a run. He had to admit she had determination, but he knew she couldn't escape. He reached in the direction he heard his glasses, and picked them up and brought them to his face. He pushed them up further on his face and adjusted them comfortably. Letting out a breath, he rose from where he sat and closed his eyes. He could easily detect her chakra now, and it wasn't outside of the cave. The reason she hadn't made it outside is because a genjutsu was carefully placed on the inside of the cave. What had appeared to be the exit was actually just a wall that she had run straight into. The real exit was all the way on the other end of the cave. Because you see, where you enter you cannot exit. Otherwise you'll just hit nothing but cave. And running at full speed into a cave wall is often extremely painful.

He ran up to where she had fallen backwards, their roles now switched. She was on the ground now, and most likely far too weak and in pain to get up. He reached out for her right arm and ran a finger down it, feeling the bone. _Yep, definitely sprained. Could be worse, I suppose _he thought to himself, and then continued up to her neck. It was still bleeding, and even a small cut like that can make you lose too much blood, especially on the neck. At this point she was likely dizzy. He looked down at her for a second, as if pondering something.

"Okay, I'm not killing you just yet. Don't get so tense. I'm not going to kill you if it isn't necessary, and now you dying would be rather useless. I know you don't think you're on your deathbed, and you're not, but if you continue bleeding out you might be. I hurt you to teach you a lesson, not to kill you." he explained, and brushed away some of her pink hair to see her neck better. He hovered over the wound with his hand, and avoided her eyes when he healed her.

What he said was true, and nothing more. Right now, her death wasn't the best move. Pawns are sacrificial, but if you throw them out at the wrong time they gain you nothing. Now wasn't her time to be thrown out, and that's all there is to it.

_Right?_

He shakes his head, getting rid of his useless thoughts, and slides one arm under her torso, and the other around her legs. He then picks her up, not at all comfortably, and holds her tightly to him. He only holds her this tightly so she doesn't have room to struggle, and honestly this close contact is extremely uncomfortable for him. This situation, and every thought he thinks, is so uncomfortable for him that he completely forgot about the reason why she was here, the reason he had to stop her. He completely forgot about the journal.

He took her to a chamber, but it was nothing special and had a simple bed and dresser. However, it was better than the cells at the other end. He would see if Orochimaru wanted her there before taking her. Maybe he had a nice bone is his body for helpless women.

When walking in, he hurried over to the bed and plopped her down. He heard her wince slightly because of her arm. "You can heal that on your own time, although I wouldn't suggest it now." he said coldly, although a tad bit forced, and hurried back out of the room.

He locked the door, and placed a seal that had to be broken from the outside for the door to open. He didn't hesitate to get as far away from there as possible, because for some reason his mind was messing with him now. It confused him, although he would never admit it. He was too intelligent to be confused about anything. Of course, no statistic could tell him why he even cared an ounce bit for anyone except Orochimaru-sama, after the way people have treated him for over a decade. He was done caring about the well being of anyone except for people who he truly respected.

_Of course, I healed her last time on the bridge. Maybe its just the medic side of me that's deciding to shine through when she is around. Probably because she's a medic too. Yeah..that's it. I wish it would stop._he thought, and went off to report to Orochimaru-sama about the situation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sakura.**

* * *

_Okay, so here is the annoying part. I thought I was going to get away, right? I thought that I'd finally outsmart Kabuto Yakushi, right? Wrong. Guess what I did. Go on, guess. Don't know? Fine, I'll tell you. Me and all of my __**intelligence**__ ran smack dab into one of the walls of the cave, face first. Do you know how fast I was going? I sprinted when I thought I was going to get out of there, despite that my legs felt like jelly. I. Hit. The. Wall. Very. Hard. I was honestly surprised that my nose wasn't broken and I didn't have a few teeth loose. Do you see what taunting and constantly trying to outdo someone gets you? It gets you a very large headache, which is what I had..._.

Not only did she have a pounding headache, but Sakura was immensely dizzy as she tried to decide which Kabuto above her was the real one. She was seeing double for a little while. _Oh, wait, there's only one...I think..Oh Kami, my head..._ The young woman lay in reversed roles with the person who, just a moment before, she'd managed to get under the skin of.

"Ow.." she mumbled quietly, embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.

_How did I not see that I was in a genjutsu..? This really isn't like me..I can't even think straight now.._ With a groan of both pain and displeasure, she shook her aching head and stared up into the onyx eyes of Kabuto, who by now was healing her just to the point of her survival at the time.

"Okay, I'm not killing you just yet. Don't get so tense. I'm not going to kill you if it isn't necessary, and now you dying would be rather useless. I know you don't think you're on your deathbed, and you're not, but if you continue bleeding out you might be. I hurt you to teach you a lesson, not to kill you."he explained it to her as if she were a child, furthering her anger.

"Ow, rub it in why don't you, four eyes..." she mumbled, trying to force herself up before being actually picked up by her captor.

_So, as I said before, I was an idiot. I messed up and look what it got me. I got caught. Dammit all, I got caught. I was so mad and all I remember thinking was how badly my head hurt and how hard I was going to hit him when I had my strength back. It so happened that as I started to force myself up, I was picked up and held incredibly close to the person who had just watched me run into a wall like a moron. Ugh. It was..uncomfortable..to say the least. I knew why he was doing it. I knew that he was only holding me so close so he could keep me from getting away, but to be honest, it wouldn't have mattered if he'd held me close or not. I was in too much pain to go anywhere or do anything, not to mention that I was still suffering from the foolish decision to stay up for three days and nights, only to get a bit of sleep on the fourth. You see, this is what happens when you don't think clearly._.

Sakura winced in pain as she hit the bed with a plop and groaned from the sudden impact. She'd been taken into a nearby room but was too dizzy to really see what all was going on. "You can heal that on your own time, although I wouldn't suggest it now." She heard Kabuto's voice. It was cold and uncaring, the same voice she was used to. It was better that way in her opinion. However, she didn't understand why he was always healing her. _Ever since the time on the Tenchi bridge, I've wondered if he has some sort of soft spot..I mean, he is a medical ninja after all..Maybe it's just the medic in him..._ Sakura heard the door lock and knew very well that there would be some sort of seal put on it to keep her from escaping. She was a bit surprised that there were no seals placed on her chakra, but it was better for her that way since she could do something about all of this as soon as she got her strength back.

_At least he left...I didn't really want to deal with his rubbing it in anyway...Stupid four eyes...Making me run into a wall...I'll pay you back for that in full when I've gotten some sleep..._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto wandered down a musty, ill kept corridor. He was deep in thought and chuckled a bit at the situation that had occurred hours ago. It was strange. Not necessarily bad..just unexpected.

He had approached Orochimaru's side cautiously, seeing that he was still busy training the disrespectful Uchiha. He was forced to wait patiently until they were both done. Normally, he wouldn't mind. However, Sasuke wouldn't stop until he was half dead, even when he knew someone was waiting. Yet another rude characteristic of his. The only reason Orochimaru had dealt with it was because he needed Sasuke and Kabuto didn't like the fact that Sasuke was taking advantage of his master. After a good 30 minutes of watching them fight, he turned to walk away. Before he could even take a step in the other direction, Orochimaru had stopped him.

"Stay and watch, Kabuto. You might learn something"

He took a moment to glare at the cocky Uchiha, before turning to face Orochimaru. He nodded politely. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama"

So of course, he waited. By the time they finished, he suspected it was night. However, since they were inside a cave that was always dark, it was impossible to know. He completely ignored Sasukes presence, and instead focused on Orochimaru. He was the one who really had to know the situation, whatever Sasuke's reaction would be was just the fun part because Kabuto wasn't sure what to expect.

"Earlier today, while you were training, there was an intruder." he began to explain, when suddenly Orochimaru darkly laughed. "Of course, Kabuto. I was expecting _her._Tsunade is as blind as ever, sending her pathetic kunoichi in training to do her dirty work. I assume she was here for the _information_**?"**he questioned. Kabuto hesitated, realizing his mistake. He had completely forgotten to search her for the book. Orochimaru noticed the hesitation, and narrowed his eyes. "Well?"

He quickly regained his composer and nodded. "Yes. However, she failed rather pathetically. It was easy."

Orochimaru laughed, his snakelike body rumbling. "Good work, Kabuto. I do hope you didn't kill her yet though.

He shook his head, smirking. "No, not yet. I could have, but I thought it would be best to come to you first, in case you wanted her alive." Although he said this as if he were indifferent, he did think her death would be a waste.

"The Haruno girl is weak and lacks skill, save for her medical knowledge. I think we should consider all the possibilities" Orochimaru said and turned to Sasuke. "What do you suggest we do?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Sasuke**

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha, the boy everyone seemed to want to get their hands on. Why? His sharingan was a much yearned for thing in many places and by a great many individuals. He was to be the newest body of Orochimaru, or so it was planned when he completed his training. _I have other plans in mind..I'll kill him as practice before I go after Itachi.._ The dark haired male was training with his snake like master, as usual as he noticed Kabuto out of the corner of his eye. _Tch, what's he doing here?_ he wondered, not letting his focus waver even the slightest bit. "Stay and watch, Kabuto. You might learn something" Orochimaru's words meant nothing to the young and revenge obsessed Uchiha, though he did step it up a notch when the gray haired man was in his presence, as he liked to piss him off. It was what he did for 'fun.'

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama" _I could feel his glare. Kabuto hated me and I didn't mind it at all. In fact, I didn't really care what anyone thought of me, as long as I could complete my goal. As long as I could kill Itachi and restore my clan, none of it mattered. The fact of the matter was, however, that I enjoyed seeing the vein in Kabuto's forehead pop out when I was around. He often told me I was a 'disrespectful brat' that didn't deserve the __**kindness**__ that Orochimaru bestowed upon me, not that I cared. Tch, I was even more 'disrespectful' just to prove a point. Tonight was different though. Tonight was the night that he would mess with me, or at least with the side of me that I was still trying to kill.._.

"Earlier today, while you were training, there was an intruder."he began to explain, when suddenly Orochimaru darkly laughed. "Of course, Kabuto. I was expecting _her_.Tsunade is as blind as ever, sending her pathetic kunoichi in training to do her dirty work. I assume she was here for the information?"he questioned. Kabuto hesitated, which Sasuke noticed all too well. _Tch, loser. He probably forgot to see if she even had it..But what is she doing here..? Dammit, Sakura..Why can't she and Naruto just let me be..?_ "Well?" Sasuke turned and put his sword away, narrowing his dark eyes at the gray haired male as he did so. "We're waiting.." he said coldly.

Kabuto seemed to have regained his composure by now. "Yes. However, she failed rather pathetically. It was easy." _Figures. She's an idiot for coming here...Annoying as ever..._ "Good work, Kabuto. I do hope you didn't kill her yet though. _Hn. He didn't kill her. I can sense her chakra levels, although they're low. What exactly happened..?_ The Uchiha male sat off to the side as if uninterested in the conversation, however, he was interested enough to listen in.

"No, not yet. I could have, but I thought it would be best to come to you first, in case you wanted her alive."

"The Haruno girl is weak and lacks skill, save for her medical knowledge. I think we should consider all of the possibilities. "What do you suggest we do?"

_There he goes bringing me into this. What do I care what he does with Sakura..?_ Even though that's what he thought, part of Sasuke had not yet fully killed his 'bonds' with the people from Konoha. Namely, Sakura and Naruto. Part of him still cared, though his words and tone of voice said otherwise. He always spoke as if it didn't matter to him, though in this case it did. "Tch, do what you want with her. If she is as skilled in medical ninjutsu as it's thought, keep her, if not, kill her. It makes no difference to me.." His words were harsh and he knew it, but Sasuke Uchiha wanted nothing to do with his former teammates. They were both as good as dead to him. He'd even tried to do away with them the last time they'd encountered each other. With that being said, he turned on his heels and headed toward the direction Sakura was without even knowing it. _I've got to get rid of these irritating feelings..._ he thought with a scowl, walking into the darkness and disappearing.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_I woke up with a start as I realized I was in an unfamiliar place. After a few minutes though, I recalled just where I was and why I was there. Holding my aching head, I sat up and glanced around my 'prison.' It wasn't too bad, considering that I'd fallen asleep easily enough. Still, I had to get out of here, with or without Sasuke kun. I really did want to see him, though the last time we'd come face to face, he tried to kill me..It still hurt to think about that, so I pushed the memory away and pretended that it didn't exist. Now, it all had to do with how long I had to sit here before four eyes came back and I put my new plan into action. I was going to get out of there no matter what._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

_{At the time, I had truly thought the Uchiha brat lacked any sort of emotion, save anger and vengeance. I truly believe he didn't care what happened to Sakura. I should have paid more attention, I had let certain facts slip my mind. I can't say I regret many things, but if there's one thing I regret it, it was how blind I had been to everything, including my true self.}_

He had not been surprised when Orochimaru asked Sasuke for his opinion. However, it wasn't just a test of where his loyalties lay. Neither of them were idiots, and could clearly see that he didn't have loyalties to anyone, just a goal of hatred aimed towards his elder brother. It was also just a test of where his mental state was, as well as an honest question of his opinion.

Kabuto knew the uchiha wouldn't do anything ridiculous, such as plea for her life or jump at the chance to rescue her. That would have been rather scaring. However, he didn't expect the amount of apathy that the boy had for his former friend's life. Growing up, he didn't really have friends. Still, he had people who took care of him, and although he would kill them if necessary, he would not feel the way Sasuke did. It disturbed him, something not many things could do. _I really can't stand him. Everything he does is irrational._

Using two fingers, he casually pushes his glasses up. **"Orochimaru-sama, if I may I'd like to suggest we keep her alive a bit longer. She can be used to persuade Konahagakure. I imagine the hokage cares deeply for her."**he suggested, then turned his head slightly as sasuke left the room. Wherever he was off to, he didn't really care.

Orochimaru chuckled. **"And what do you think we need from them?"**

Kabuto paused for a moment. **"Lately, they've been managing to kill off many of the sound ninja. Although this doesn't directly effect you, for power purposes it might be best if they stop. Perhaps ordering Konaha to stop meddling in our business would be helpful."**

**"Perhaps" **he began, **"But perhaps killing her would send the same message."**

He wasn't sure what else to say. Ultimately, his opinion didn't matter. Especially when he could see Orochimaru's side of it. So why was he still so adamant on keeping her alive? It's like moving her pawn out of harms way, but endangering a knight in the process. It was a thoughtless, stupid move.

**"It's up to you, Orochimaru-sama. For once, I agree with Sasuke"**he said, although it couldn't be further from the truth. He did not agree.

As he continued following the curves of the corridor, he couldn't help but feel a little bit..confused. Orochimaru had said to keep her alive, although he was previously suggesting they kill her. _What are you planning..? _he wondered, until returning to the room he had stuck the pink haired kunoichi inside.

He undid the seal, unlocked the door, and without bothering to knock he walked inside. He turned around to face her, and by her looks seemed like she had just woken up. Her hair was messy and framed her face unevenly. Her eyes held a look of determination and sadness. For a moment, he just stood there in front of the door and looked at her.

It almost hurt to look at her. Part of it was pity, but another was something else. He didn't really understand what that something else was, but it didn't really matter.

**"It's nighttime now, which means you'll probably be on a nocturnal schedule."**he explained, giving her another reason not to leave.

It would be fairly hard escaping in the dark. He looked back at her, any uncertainty in his eyes vanishing. He knew he had to get the book from her..but right now didn't seem like the time. _Besides _he told himself, _it will be easier when she is asleep. _He didn't really come here for that, anyways. He came to make sure she hadn't escaped. He stepped closer, looking down at her. **"How is your arm? I imagine you haven't had the opportunity to heal it."**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura sat up, stretching her limbs and remembering that one of her arms was practically broken. There was a small yelp of pain as she lowered her arms and looked at the one that was causing her so much pain. _Great, it's swollen.._ she thought, furrowing her brows and leaning back on the bed. _How much longer is it going to be before he comes back..? I have to escape tonight..There's no telling what will happen if I stay here.._ As if he read her mind from that far away, in walked Kabuto about a second or two after the girl became irritated with her thoughts. She was just about to heal her arm, as she realized her chakra levels were just high enough to do so, but his sudden appearance and statement threw her off guard.

**"It's nighttime now, which means you'll probably be on a nocturnal schedule."** Sakura glanced up at him and noticed his eyes now looked different once more. He almost seemed like he felt sorry for her in some way, but not only did that thought seem irrational, it was infuriating.

**"I am well aware that if it's nighttime that my schedule may change...No need to explain such a simple thing to me..I'm not a child.."**

She pulled her knees to her and leaned back against the wall, disliking that he soon came closer and looked at her injured limb.

**"How is your arm? I imagine you haven't had the opportunity to heal it."**

**"Obviously, I was just about to when you showed up..."** she mumbled, averting her gaze elsewhere in the room, anywhere but him or his eyes. They were rage inducing to her right now.

_[I hated when people gave me that look that said they were feeling sorry for me. I hated when people looked down on me and underestimated me. At that moment, however, I hated that Kabuto Yakushi was so damn close, regardless of him checking over my injured and very much in pain arm, I wanted him out of my face. I knew my chakra levels weren't very high, but they were high enough that I could do what I needed to do. That's when I realized it. He was staring at my arm and his eyes were fixated on the swelling. He wasn't paying attention. He had let his guard down. All too perfect for me. That is when I put my plan into action.]_.

Sakura noticed almost immediately that the male was too fixated on his thoughts to really notice much of anything in reality at the moment. It was perfect, all so perfect. With quick movements, the kunoichi knocked him over so that 'he' was once again the one on the ground. The door was able to be opened since he'd had to take off the seal in order to enter the room. The young woman bolted out the door, running full speed and making the proper hand signs to break any genjutsu, should there be any, that was still placed anywhere in the surrounding area. Moving around the winding corridors, she hesitated on where to go, mostly because she had no idea where to go. Her heart was racing as she made a split second decision and ran down a hallway that appeared to lead at least _towards_ the exit.

Checking her pack and eventually finding the right hallway, she grinned triumphantly. _Still have the book. Good thing I kept it hidden in my shirt until I woke up._ This was it, she was going to make it. The exit was in sight and she even put her hand out to it to make sure it wasn't another wall that she was going to run into. Her arm was still aching, but the pain was nothing compared to her adrenaline high right now. _Too bad, four eyes. I must say I kind of enjoyed our game, but I'm the winner. Check mate. Wait until Lady Tsunade hears about all of this._ But then, something went wrong. Sakura hadn't even been outside of the cave for all of ten seconds until she felt a familiar presence behind her.

_[I wasn't sure what it was. I mean, I knew who it felt like, but I've been wrong before. At the time, I was more concerned with getting out of there and back to Konoha then I was about who was behind me. Maybe if I'd not stopped and looked at who it was, or maybe if I'd just kept running like hell and not hesitated. Maybe things would have ended differently. Again, I messed up..]_.

Sakura stopped for a split second to glance at the source of the powerful chakra behind her. Too bad that it was her former teammate turned rogue. **"S-Sasuke kun.."** she uttered, barely a whisper as she seemed to lose the ability to talk in front of him in that moment.

**"Sakura..Go back inside..Not that I want you here, and not that it wouldn't be fun to kill you and see Naruto's face when he finds out 'I'm' the one that ended you, but the orders were to keep you alive...So, are you going to cooperate or do I have to force you?"**

The pink haired girl took a step back, eyes widening at the cruelty and sadistic nature of Sasuke, her Sasuke. **"I-I will not go back there...I have to get back to Lady Tsunade.."** The two stared each other down.

Sakura's widened emerald irises saw into the depths of Sasuke's onyx ones and he wasn't kidding. _He really does mean to harm me if I don't do as he says.._ she thought, sadness overtaking her eyes and showing all of her weaknesses. **"S-Sasuke kun.."**

**"Hmph. Wrong answer."**

With that, the young Uchiha was behind his former frightened teammate and took advantage of her fear and confusion to grab her obviously wounded arm. Sakura bit her lip to keep from yelping in pain again. She didn't want Sasuke to see that and think it a weakness.

**"You could have avoided this.."** Sasuke said darkly, twisting her arm until he heard it snap. This time, there was a cry of pain and the young woman fell to her knees, clutching at her arm.

**"S-Sasuke..kun.."**

**"Still haven't stopped calling me that, ne, Sakura? You're so annoying.."**

The young man simply picked up the limp and in pain woman, threw her over his shoulder, and walked back inside. Sakura was not only in too much pain to fight him, but she lacked the will because someone she cared for so deeply had just proven once again that he could care less. _I'll get out of here...but maybe that wasn't the best move...Kami, my arm hurts..I'd be surprised if I can use it again before a month is over..even with my healing chakra.._.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_[She'll never know that I actually felt bad about doing what I did to her. Not at the time, of course, but later on in life, I regretted it. There aren't many things I regret, as most of my life has consisted of revenge and being a true avenger. Still, as I carried the limp Sakura on my shoulder, I started to think of way back when. I remembered that she used to be an annoying little pink haired girl that I was forced to work with. I remembered watching her grow up and take responsibility. I even remembered that at one point in time, I'd have killed someone who dared lay a hand on her. Ironic that I myself was the one to cause her such pain. I knew she cared for me, and truth be told, I used that to my advantage all of the time. Even then, I had a plan in my deranged mind to keep her in the Sound with me. Part of me enjoyed watching her be manipulated so easily by her feelings. Even though the smallest part of me said to stop it and leave her alone, I ignored it. I wanted to see her writhing and hear her screams almost as badly as I wanted to end Naruto..Tch, I know, I was twisted.]_.

Sasuke walked back into the hideout carrying the young woman over his shoulder. He headed back to where she'd previously been and was surprised that she'd not said anything. He dared not to say a word, however, because if he did, she might think that he wanted her to say something, when truth be told, he really just didn't like the awkward feeling of his former friend on his shoulder and the heir of silence around them. **"Here. Try to keep a better eye on her, Kabuto..Or else Orochimaru might put her into better hands.."** The Uchiha shoved the girl at the gray haired male, causing her to cringe and squeak from the pain of her broken arm being so roughly handled, and walked off back into the darkness, soon disappearing from sight.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Although the pink haired kunoichi assured Kabuto that she was not a child, he begged to differ. Sakura was still young and naive, and often quite fragile. He wondered what drove her on the course her life was headed right now, but assumed it was her teammates. It was slightly amusing, actually, to imagine. He definitely didn't understand it, which was probably why it caught his interest. He didn't like finding something he couldn't understand. Would he be willing to die for Orochimaru-sama? As much as he respected the man, he couldn't see he would unless it was to his advantage. He wouldn't be willing to die needlessly just to keep someone else alive, unless it gave him power. So, he wondered for a moment if she would. Would she die for someone? He imagined she would die for her Konaha friends. What about Sasuke? If she would die for someone like him, than she truly was an idiot.

He, however, was not. She was refusing to look into his eyes, and he knew it was either because she was angry or sad, or a bit of both. If anything, she should be grateful to him. If she was going to get pissed and ignore him, he was going to ignore her. He looked away, refusing to pity her any longer. She didn't deserve any emotion from him if she was going to be ungrateful. On the outside, he looked completely neutral. On the inside, he was raging. If she was going to continue to disrespect him, he would just ignore her.

Okay, ignoring a prisoner to the point where you're not paying attention wasn't a good idea.

Especially when you left the door unlocked.

Before he knew it, he was knocked down on the floor _again._At least this time he hadn't lost his glasses. He sighed. Dealing with this was beginning to get tiresome. And now, he was extremely pissed. How dare she? He had been _so_kind to their guest. He quickly rose from his position on the cold, uncomfortable ground and ran a hand through his bangs. _Oh Sakura, you will regret this. I might just decide to operate on you in your sleep, switch your big toes, maybe even carve out one of your eyeballs_he considered the possibilities while using his chakra to numb the pain where he had been hit. Although he wouldn't admit it, that had hurt.

He hurried after her, but his rib was still sore. He wasn't used to being in pain for so long, usually his medical chakra would have easily gotten rid of it by now. _How much chakra did you manage to put in that? You barely had enough for medical jutsu._he wondered, healing his side as he ran. When he sensed, by her chakra, that he had suddenly stopped moving, he was confused. However, he quickly sensed the second chakra source and realized Sasuke had stopped her.

He couldn't help but chuckle. At least he knew what her punishment was going to be. This was much worse than switching her toes around. This was going to hurt emotionally, and no doubt very physically considering who her opponent was. He watched them from the shadows inside of the cave. Although he could not hear them, he knew she was afraid. It was clear. She was also immensely sad, and he could only hope she wouldn't start crying. He didn't want to stick around to see _that._

He stayed until the very end, when that crack of her bone made even him cringe slightly. Sasuke had twisted her arm in a very unnatural way, and for a second he actually thought about interrupting and saying that was enough.

_Of course, if she's going to be punished, it would be more fun if I did it._

However, he shook his head and walked away, back to her room. Why should he save her from Sasuke? He wasn't some hero and it didn't matter to him that she was in pain. He would get his chance at payback later, whenever Sasuke decided to return her.

_But what if he doesn't? Orochimaru-sama will be furious with me if I do not keep her alive._he questioned, not putting it past Sasuke to kill anyone, even old friends. However, he doubted it would be a major setback if she was dead. It didn't appear that she was needed for anything specific. He told himself he didn't care if she died, because if she did she was a useless pawn anyways. Even though strategically, no pawn is useless if you use them the right way.

Kabuto sat on her bed, waiting in the room. Soon enough the Uchiha returned with Sakura still alive, but clearly in pain, and on his shoulders. She was roughly thrown at him, and landed half on him in her bed. Her arm bent the wrong way again, this time against his chest, and she could not stop a weak, painful noise from escaping her lips. He didn't make eye contact with her, but instead focused on the rude boy in front of him.

**"Here. Try to keep a better eye on her, Kabuto..Or else Orochimaru might put her into better hands" **he threatened, annoying Kabuto.

Funny that Sasuke was always calling Sakura annoying, when in fact he saw it the other way. Sakura was troublesome, but the Uchiha dug deep into his skin. His eyes narrowed, and he couldn't help but retort. **"I would have stopped her, you shouldn't have interfered. She's mine." **There was a possessiveness in his tone that even he hadn't expected, but it was true. She was his prisoner, his responsibility, his right to torture. Not anyone else's.

When Sasuke left, he let out a sigh. He slid over to give her room on the bed., however he wasn't about to get up. She could deal with the room she had. **"I told you, you're not going to escape. You were rather unlucky that Sasuke got to you before I did, although you deserved your punishment. I was planning on switching your big toes, but I suppose a horribly broken arm will do. "**He said, with sarcasm in his voice. However, looking at her arm again, he realized it was actually in horrible, horrible shape right now. Without using his chakra to inspect the injury, he could only assume it was shattered in several places. He was curious as to what exactly Sasuke had done.

**"Let me see your arm"**he demanded harshly. However, seeing how fragile she could be, and considering what had happened to her, he imagined she was just going to be stubborn and ignore his request. So he decided to say something that he rarely ever said.

**"Please."**

He still believed she deserved her punishment. Her suffering would probably teach her a lesson. Still, he had the urge to at least inspect it. _Yep..definitely troublesome.._


	7. Chapter 7

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura cringed rather noticeably as she was thrown at Kabuto pretty roughly by her former friend. Sasuke clearly had no care for her well being or sympathy for the pain he himself had caused her. It wouldn't have been so bad if her arm hadn't twisted _again,_ but in the opposite direction as it collided with Kabuto's chest. The pink haired girl cursed mentally as she tried to at least halfway pull herself away from the boy with glasses, but to no avail. Sasuke's words rang in her ears and she cringed again, a shiver going up her spine as she tried to keep more whimpering from escaping her pale lips.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

**" I would have stopped her, you shouldn't have interfered. She's mine"** Kabuto said to him.

**"Tch. Be careful, Kabuto. That almost sounds like a challenge.."** the Uchiha retorted as a faint smirk was visible before his disappearance into the shadows. Now Sasuke was interested. He loved to get under Kabuto's skin, and what better way than by taking away something that he felt was his?

_[It's not really that I wanted Sakura in that way, nor did I know that Kabuto wanted her. At that point, I don't believe even he knew. It was the simple and honest fact that I loved to tick him off. Getting under his skin was a pleasure to me, and if taking Sakura away from him so that she was my responsibility rather than his, just to prove him useless in the eyes of the man he so respected, was what would __**really**__ get to him, I'd do it. At the time, that became my newest plot to piss off four eyes. I'd take his prisoner from him to do with as I pleased. As long as I kept her alive while I was told, I saw no problem with it. Hell, I'd even make him 'watch' me torture her, emotionally, mentally, in every way that I knew she feared. Not only did I make it my goal to accomplish this, but as my own personal amusement, I'd toy with the girl's mind to the point of breaking her. It's pathetic now that I look back on it. How many people's lives was I willing to screw up, how far was I willing to go, just to piss off Kabuto? Hmph. Pretty far.]_.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[I desperately attempted to crawl away from the two boys that held me captive. I wanted so badly to get away from Sasuke, something I never thought I'd say or even think. Even after all that he'd done to me, and I still cared about him. How foolish I was. I'm afraid to say that I was still mentally a child. I may have matured in my physical appearance, but emotionally, mentally, psychologically, I was still the same as ever. It hurt pretty badly to have my arm twisted at such an angle that I did not know was even possible, but being who I was, I dealt with it. However, it freaked me out to hear the possessiveness in Kabuto's voice when I heard him speak to Sasuke. It was as if I were no longer a person to either one of them. I even saw the look on Sasuke's face as he left me to deal with my captor and knew it well. He felt challenged. That could not be good for me..]_.

"I told you, you're not going to escape. You were rather unlucky that Sasuke got to you before I did, although you deserved your punishment. I was planning on switching your big toes, but I suppose a horribly broken arm will do."

Sakura did not look up at the gray haired male as he spoke to her. She already felt foolish enough, and here he was rubbing it in and making her madder than she'd been in quite awhile. It was to such a degree, in fact, that she actually turned to glare at him. If looks could kill, Kabuto would have been dead where he sat.

**"Stop treating me like a child!"** she demanded, angrily boring her eyes into his.**"I'm not some unruly child to be punished because I attempted to escape captivity..Aren't you always ranting about the 'intelligent and 'logical' thing to do? What's illogical about trying to get away from your captors?! 'I' already told 'you' that I 'will' escape. It's just a matter of time..The day that you again let your guard down, I will escape and take what information I have back to Konoha...Sasuke, on the other hand, can stay here where he wishes to be.."** Sarcasm in parts of what she'd said practically dripped off of her being in pools and the malice that was laced into her tone was hard to fact that she knew Sasuke would rather be there than in Konoha made her sad, but she was in such pain right now that her caring of the Uchiha did not even register.

"Let me see your arm" Kabuto sounded very harsh at first and Sakura was about to blow up at him for a second time when he literally shocked her into speechlessness.

"Please."

The kunoichi's eyes softened ever so slightly when the word 'please' came out of his mouth. She was not sorry for what she'd said, nor for yelling at him, but she was so shocked that her other arm literally moved of its own accord in obedience to show him the broken and rather swollen arm. She planned on healing it herself, but at the moment, she was just too surprised to say anything. _Talk about being shocked into submission.._ she thought with a frown, trying to keep her thoughts and emotions in check. She was **not** going to cry. That was **not** an option. Even though every fiber of her being told her it was okay, Sakura bit her lip, hard, until blood trickled down her lips and onto her shirt.

_[Kami it hurt...Why did Sasuke have to hurt me so badly..? When I ask that, of course, it's literal. It was not any of the many times that he had emotionally harmed me, nor was it a time that he had harmed me psychologically. He harmed me physically and it was hard to focus enough to heal it at the moment. Not to mention that four eyes had shocked me with his 'please.' I mean, the guy was naturally pretty polite, in a weird sort of way. It was more of a weird thing to me, because how can a guy that is so damn sadistic and manipulative actually be so polite? It's weird! It's unnatural! Ehem. I digress..Things were getting weirder and I just couldn't help but feel I would probably pay for my outbursts as well..]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

_A challenge, hm? I'd say he's a knight. He could easily take out a pawn, but he can't take out me. Which is, of course, because I'm the controller of the entire game board._

**"Stop treating me like a child!"**she shouted at him. His eyes narrowed angrily, and he was about to reply with a sarcastic comment on how she acts like one, when suddenly he realized how serious she was. Almost to her breaking point. **"I'm not some unruly child to be punished because I attempted to escape captivity..Aren't you always ranting about the 'intelligent and 'logical' thing to do? What's illogical about trying to get away from your captors?! 'I' already told 'you' that I 'will' escape. It's just a matter of time..The day that you again let your guard down, I will escape and take what information I have back to Konoha...Sasuke, on the other hand, can stay here where he wishes to be.."**

He actually considered her words. Was she being illogical about trying to escape? He had thought so. But what would he do if konaha had taken him? Of course he would try to escape..unless he found better opportunities where he was taken. Which was, of course, impossible. He thought it possible for her though. Here, there were so many possibilities because there were so little rules for him. If she stayed here long enough, it could be like that for her as well.

**"You will be more free here than you would ever be in Konaha. You are bound by so many rules, but here I have few."**he began, than turned to face her. The emerald in her eyes were furious. **"Escaping is a very logical thing for you to do, however you should have picked better times and techniques in doing it. If you had managed to knock me out before leaving, and had been more stealthy so Sasuke had ****not found**** you, you could have escaped. You've got to think of every possibility in your head and have a plan for each. Use your brain more."**he explained.

Why was he giving her any advice? _To make the game more fun._

**"I must say I'm glad you see that Sasuke shouldn't return. As for the book..well I'll need that back of course. But since I don't plan on letting you leave any time soon, I suppose that can wait."**

He could have easily forced her to show him her arm. Right now, she was in no position to start another fight, especially for something as simple as a touch. It was better to have her permission though, he realized. She was so stubborn. He firmly, but not painfully, reached out to hold her arm with one hand, and he ran his other down her arm. A faint glow appeared as he closed his eyes. Seconds later, he slowly opened them and removed his hand. A look of pain crossed his eyes for a split second, but it wasn't pain he was personally feeling. Her injury was worse than he thought. Her arm was a mess, and he wondered how much of that was new and how much was old. Although he had experienced many physical injuries much worse, and he assumed she had too, broken bones were no fun. Even if she could mend the bone completely, it would still be uncomfortable no matter what. _Oh well, she got what she deserved._

He looked up at her and saw that her eyes were teary, although due to the look on her face she seemed adamantly determined to not actually cry. At first he had assumed it was mere physical pain. But no, he realized she was more emotionally hurt. Whatever the Uchiha had said to her, it must have been bad. Of course, that was to be expected considering it was him. He let go of her arm.

**"Your arm is in bad shape. Of course, you already know that. I have some medicine that is already made that can help numb the soreness once you're done taking care of it. If you're a really, really good girl and do what I want, I'll give it to you. And what I want is for you to stop running away..at least for a couple of days. The break would be nice."**

He then stood up from the bed, hearing it squeak. **"Now then..would you like something to eat? You haven't had food in at least a day." **he questioned, and showed her the same exact smile he had at the chuunin exams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura continued to sit there in silence as she felt even more furious by the second. Kabuto's words were helpful in some ways, in others, they were infuriating.

"You will be more free here than you would ever be in Konaha. You are bound by so many rules, but here I have few. Escaping is a very logical thing for you to do, however you should have picked better times and techniques in doing it. If you had managed to knock me out before leaving, and had been more stealthy so Sasuke had not found you, you could have escaped. You've got to think of every possibility in your head and have a plan for each. Use your brain more."

Now the young woman was pissed off like no one would believe. _Who in the hell does he think he is that he can just sit here and tell me to use my head more?! I didn't ask for his 'advice' and I have a feeling he's only telling me this so that if I try to escape again he can continue to point out my mistakes and things I overlooked in the process! Ugh!_ Kabuto may or may not have known it, but if she had not been in so much pain, Sakura would have pulled back with her good arm and nicked him pretty good in the face with her angry fist.

**"You say that I'd be more free here than I ever would be in Konoha...and yet, you left it. How would you know?"**

It really was just an honest question that she was curious of, but the poisonous tone made it very clear that he should stop while he was ahead.

"I must say I'm glad you see that Sasuke shouldn't return. As for the book..well I'll need that back of course. But since I don't plan on letting you leave any time soon, I suppose that can wait."

**"I don't plan on giving it back anytime soon, so good luck with that...and don't talk about Sasuke.."** she mumbled under her breath, annoyed and badly wanting to hit him in his smug face.

_The nerve of him! I. Am. Going. To. Kill. You. Teme! When I get out of here, you'll be in so much pain that you'll be begging for death! CHAAAAA!_ Inner Sakura put in her two cents, causing the outward Sakura to roll her eyes and glare at the wall so she could at least say she spaced out and didn't have to have her ears lectured off. _I'm not a child, dammit...Stop treating me like one..._.

"Your arm is in bad shape." he said.

_Really? I hadn't noticed..._

"Of course, you already know that." he continued.

_Yeah, now you figure that out? Aren't you a smart one..._

"I have some medicine that is already made that can help numb the soreness once you're done taking care of it. If you're a really, really good girl and do what I want, I'll give it to you. And what I want is for you to stop running away..at least for a couple of days. The break would be nice."

_...You have got to be kidding me.._ Sakura looked up at him when he said this, sarcasm emitting off of her like pools of water as she spoke, though she did at lest _try_ to make it sound polite. After all, she was in no condition to really fight him right now, much less make him mad.

**"You have 'got' to be kidding me..."**

She started, having to clench her teeth together so it didn't sound rude while she continued. **"I...You..."**

The kunoichi twitched as did her right eye as she tried to find 'some' words, 'any' words that wouldn't sound 'exactly' how she was feeling towards him right now. She was trying to play it smart, but oh it was hard when he kept pissing her off.

**"I..er..Do not..ever...say that...again...f-..."** Sakura stopped herself from calling him his 'beloved' nickname as she again tried to find nicer words.

_Kami this is hard..._ **"Don't sound so weird..."** she finally choked out, literally having to force her mouth closed so the venom she wanted to spout did not get free and cause her more trouble than it had already caused.

"Now then..would you like something to eat? You haven't had food in at least a day." he dared to ask her.

So livid was the young woman by now that she was about to let all of her frustrations out on this boy. In her opinion, he was talking to her like a child, making her feel small in every way, and pushing buttons that he did not really want to press with her. However, as she opened her mouth to release the hellfire that waited within, she stopped. _No way..._ That smile, it was so familiar.

_Kami, why did he have to do that?!_ That damn smile of his had reminded her once more of the Chuunin Exams and how he had even managed to catch her attention away from Sasuke for a short while. When Sakura started to think back on it, however, getting lost in her thoughts, she shook her head as if mentally stabbing herself as punishment for her traitorous reminiscing mind. _No way, I'm not giving in that easily!_ However, she had an idea, a strategy if you will. _Hm, on second thought, maybe I can make this work.._.

She cursed herself in her mind continuously as her body betrayed her by making her seem less upset, having a sweeter tone and being much less hostile. Her mind seemingly started to give way to this little game of theirs, but the pink haired kunoichi now knew what she was going to do and what she was doing right now.

**"I'll...be good...at least for a few days...but no, I'm not really hungry...However, it's nice of you to ask considering how rude I've been.."**

The young woman hovered her uninjured hand over her broken arm and a light green aura emitted as it started to mend the bone back together. It was painful as hell, but she'd dealt with worse.

Sakura's inner self was twitching and ranting and oh so very angry. Inwardly, she was beating the tar out of herself for even 'thinking' it was a good idea to just play it his way, at least for now. _Chill out. I've not submitted myself, okay? I'm playing it smart...When he lets his guard down, he'll be sorry..The only issue I honestly think I would have is getting past Sasuke..and if I plan that right, he won't be around when I escape.._.

_[ My inner self was..not happy with me..to say the least. I knew what I was doing and yet, at the same time, I did not. I knew Kabuto probably knew what I was doing considering my sudden change in attitude, but it mattered very little to me. Wouldn't that just make the game more fun for the both of us? I wanted to say or do anything that would cause me much less trouble, and that was what I did. Yes, I felt as if my pride had been shot, yes, I felt weak, but in a situation such as this, what was I to do? What would anyone else do? It was a game of chess and chess was a strategic game. If he wanted me to play the helpless and obedient damsel, I could do that. My strategy was bound to work over his. He may or may not have known that I'd listened very well to his 'advice' from earlier. It wasn't exactly how I planned on getting out, but new ideas were forming in my head at the time and the second that he or Sasuke felt they had broken me, that would be the time to strike. I'd be the winner of this game even if it killed me. Check, and soon, Checkmate, Kabuto..]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"You say that I'd be more free here than I ever would be in Konoha...and yet, you left it. How would you know?"

How was he supposed to answer? Both the malice in her voice and the question which she asked left him momentarily speechless. He was not expecting such a personal questions, and he doubted she understood that it even was. She was probably expecting another sarcastic comment, but memories of the reason why he left popped in his head. He refused to reveal what he was thinking, and his facial expression remained emotionless. He was, however, deep in a thought he didn't usually explore. He was glad to be gone, and knew he never wanted to step foot in that village again. That disgustingly pathetic, backstabbing village he had first believed to be full of happiness, proved to be a facade of lies. Besides, he found much more happiness here. There was no point of even thinking about the matter.

**"And you've never given a chance to any other place. How would you know Konaha is better?"** He questioned, avoiding a lengthy and pointless explanation about why he _knew_ Konaha was worse.

Of course, he knew she didn't plan on giving him the information she stole. But he planned on getting it back, so he knew he would. "We'll see.." he said, and could easily tell just how pissed off she was. It seemed like she wanted to crush every bone in his body and disfigure his appearance badly. He almost laughed imagining it. _Almost._

The more he spoke, the more he was infuriating her. Part of him liked the feeling. He rather enjoyed pissing her off. There was nothing she could do to him, no way she could hurt him, and so toying with her was amusing. Even more fun was when he suggested she be a good girl. Her face twisted up in disgust and he swore one of her eyes was twitching, which meant he had definitely hit a nerve. It wasn't that he was rude, or even mean to her. He was, in fact, being very kind. Maybe that helped disturb her even more.

_I've always been generous, it shouldn't come as such a surprise. She's probably wondering how I'm being so vicious and cruel yet manage to do so pleasantly at the same time. Of course, that's because our ideas of evil are much different._

"I..er..Do not..ever...say that...again...f-..." she was finally able to spit out. His eyes narrowed as she was about to call him that ridiculous nickname, and she seemed to get the hint because she never finished those words.

"Don't sound so weird..." she said, looking as if she was about to be sick.

Oh, he knew he was sounding weird. That was the whole point, and he didn't plan on stopping now. Especially since the smile he gave her seemed to trigger her memories in a way he rather liked. She seemed to be collecting her thoughts and trying to calm down. _Now it's her turn to be left speechless.._

"I'll...be good...at least for a few days...but no, I'm not really hungry...However, it's nice of you to ask considering how rude I've been.." she told him, kindness dripping from her words.

For a moment, he was stunned. But then he realized it couldn't have been that easy. Still, whether she was truly grateful, or just forcing herself to be nice so that he would leave her alone, it was going to be much easier to deal with an obedient Sakura. He watched her heal herself, and thought about how although she was weak, she was an excellent medic nin. Not as good as him, obviously, but still good.

He then began to wonder..why did Orochimaru want her alive? He didn't think her medical skills were needed, considering Kabuto was devoted and still useful to him. Maybe they were just keeping her alive in case she was needed for some reason. It was possible, but it didn't feel right. _Hm..I have a bad feeling about this._

He walked over to the door, but before leaving he turned around to face her. With one hand, he pushed up his glasses. The gleam in the lens hid his eyes, but he smirked.

**"I'll bring you your food anyways. If you wait to eat it, it will be cold. You wont get any more food until you finish the first dish"** he stated.

Although the tone of his words were polite, the message was clear. He left, sealing the door back up. He didn't need to say it out loud to her. He was sure this one time she could practically hear what he was thinking.

_To be a good girl, you're going to do what I want, when I want. And if you don't, you'll be punished._


	9. Chapter 9

**Sakura**

* * *

"And you've never given a chance to any other place. How would you know Konaha is better?" As much as Sakura hated to admit it, Kabuto had a point. She had never lived anywhere else except for Konoha. Still, that didn't mean that where they were was any better. _Hmph...Listening to him and being nice is extremely difficult sometimes when he's so irritating..._ the young woman thought with a scowl, trying her best to mask it behind her currently very cheery expression. "We'll see.." **"It's not like you can get it back if I don't tell you where it is, now can you?"** she teased, paying him back at least a little for causing her so much irritation and inner turmoil. She could tell that he was enjoying messing with her mind and Sakura hated that. That was _her_ job to mess with _him,_ not the other way around. This was getting more and more difficult by the minute.

The kunoichi did her best to make her face stay the way it was, but oh Kami her eye started twitching again from his 'polite' tone of voice that masked the intent that was so very clear to them both. "I'll bring you your food anyways. If you wait to eat it, it will be cold. You wont get any more food until you finish the first dish" _I. Am. Losing. It._ she inwardly fumed, simply smiling on the outside and tilting her head slightly to the side. Her pink locks fell at her shoulders as she did so, framing her face and showing off her emerald eyes more clearly. Her orbs gave a different message than her face, but it didn't matter at the moment. As long as she ultimately came out on top, this would all be worth it. _Just grin and bear it, Sakura.._ she told herself, doing the best she could to ignore the plastered smirk on Kabuto's face as he turned to face her before walking out. _Damn those glasses...I can't see his eyes when the light catches the lens..Not that I'd want to right now, but later..yes..later..When I get the chance to get under his skin again..._.

Somehow, the young woman knew the weirdness wasn't going to end anytime soon. True, what the male had said and the way he had said it was meant to piss her off, which it succeeded in doing so. However, she could practically hear his thoughts as he left the room and put the seal back on, closing the door behind him. _Why do I keep getting myself into these situations...?_ _"Is your resolve so low that you'd go back on your plan so quickly?! What was all that about beating him, having him in check?"_ Inner Sakura was right. So she had to put up with an insane and sadistic, yet _strangely polite_ medic telling her what to do for awhile. _All of it will be worth it in the end, right? I'll win and this will all be over..Still, what was going through his mind when he left..? I obviously can't read minds, but I know it can't be good for me.._ **"Hmph...I'll be a 'good girl' alright."** she mumbled to herself, taking the book and placing it back in its original hiding place. **"I'll do whatever you ask of me...and then, when you finally think you can trust me, I'll prove that you're the pawn in this game, not me..."** Talking and grumbling to herself, the kunoichi sat back satisfied for now with her plan, but her right eye still twitched every time she thought of what had just been said.

_"Stop thinking about it!"_ Inner Sakura demanded, snapping her out of her daze. She nodded to the air and closed her emerald hues, just for a moment or two, waiting patiently for her opponent to return. _Your move.._ she thought with a small, heaved sigh.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_[ I heard voices as I passed by the room that Sakura was being held up in. The conversation between her and Kabuto did not interest me in the slightest, but then again, I hadn't come to listen to their conversation. Stealthily hiding my chakra, I ducked behind a rock and waited until four eyes emerged and walked off. When I was sure he was gone, that was when I decided to make my first move. ]_.

"Sakura, are you in there..?" The young woman sat up quickly as she heard the familiar voice of the Uchiha male outside her door, however, for obvious reasons, her reply was shaky. **"H-Hai.."** _Perfect.._ he thought, a smirk adorning his features as he leaned against the sealed door. "Sakura, I need to talk to you..I know you can't come out of that room right now, but it's important.." Sasuke masked his voice so that he sounded almost exactly like the child she'd known in Konoha that long while ago. As if to further confuse and screw with her mind, he almost sounded upset. "You don't have to believe me. Honestly, I wouldn't blame you if you don't care for me anymore, but Sakura..I really didn't want to hurt you..I was hoping you'd just go back inside so I could avoid it, but you left me no choice..Maybe if you'd just be a little less defiant and a little smarter, this would go over better for you..I'll find some time to speak with you later. Right now, I'm training, but wanted to make sure you'd managed to heal your arm before I left.." Sakura listened to Sasuke's words. He was toying with her mind. She knew it, and still, she didn't care. **"Arigato, Sasuke kun.."** she said sweetly and then there was silence again.

"Hmph. You still haven't changed, have you, Sakura _chan_? he questioned, waiting to hear her small gasp before he again retreated into the darkness. _It's her own fault. If she'd make her 'love' for me less obvious, I'd not know how to get to her, but since Kabuto had to go and make this a challenge, it can't be helped. Tch. I'll think about this more later. For now, I'm late for my training.._.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

The young woman's face fell as she heard a shuffling of footsteps and Sasuke's cool and velvety voice disappear back into the darkness where he chose to reside. **"He's toying with me.."** she said to herself as if to make her see that she shouldn't trust him. **"If he thinks that I'm going to fall for it, he's dead wrong...but two can play that game..and if he wants to join in where I hold the cards, he can go right ahead..."** The kunoichi mumbled to herself, half in anger, half in desperation to force herself into the realization of what Sasuke was doing. The sad thing was that she _knew_ what he was doing, and yet she didn't want to believe it, so she kept repeating it aloud just to convince herself further. _So, Sasuke kun wishes to play? Fine. I can play the obedient damsel __**and**__ the lovesick kunoichi...I am 'such' a good girl.._ she thought to herself, rolling her eyes a little at her own plan. It was honestly asinine, but it was all she could do. Fight fire with fire. Two people were involved. One was determined to break her and the other, she'd not figured out yet. All she knew was that they'd be regretful of their actions when she was through with them.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?! What do you mean you let Sakura chan go on her own to the Sound?! What were you thinking, Grandma Tsunade?!" Naruto's furious state had the Hokage sighing and Kakashi and Yamato had to restrain him. "Calm down, Naruto. Sakura is an excellent ninja and very well suited for the mission she was given. Until you promise not to go after her, I'll have to keep you in the custody of these two.." She rubbed her temples in frustration, even though she too was worried about the pink haired kunoichi that she was beginning to realize may have been captured. "You are an asset to the Hidden Leaf, and not only that, but if you go running off after Sakura, there's a high chance that you would be caught as well..I know I shouldn't have sent her. I regret doing so, but I can't change what's already been done. Kakashi. Yamato.".

"Ma'am!" they said in unison, grabbing the struggling blond boy and Yamato placed him in a wooded cage made from his ninjutsu. "Let me out of here!" the jinchuriki commanded, only to get a sigh from both of his captors. "We'll take care of this, Lady Tsunade.." Kakashi said with a smile, rubbing the back of his neck as he and the other jonin took Naruto away. _No, I have to go. I have to get Sakura chan back..You can't keep me here long, Dattebayo! I'm coming, Sakura chan!._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

He was used to playing devious mind games with people. Never once did it leave him so exhausted.

And never once did it excite him so much.

He wasn't sure why she interested him so much, but he could speculate. She was one of the few people who played back with him. He didn't dare play games openly with Orochimaru. And until now..he usually ignored Sasuke. Any of the captives are usually too weak and scared, so they just beg for the pain to stop. But she, Sakura Haruno, was different. He was enjoying this.

And that was bad.

Once she was dead, he would be a little disappointed..until he found someone new to play with. But whether or not he could find someone as refreshing as her, he didn't know. _Perhaps Orochimaru will never want her dead._ he thought, however doubted that was true. He really didn't care, aside from the fact that his game would be ruined.

He walked slowly towards the makeshift kitchen, in no rush to feed his prisoner. Besides, she had said she wasn't hungry. Although, he soon realized that he was. So when he arrived, he immediately looked around to figure out what to make. He wasn't exactly.. _adept_ at cooking. But he was craving dumplings, so he figured he'd go ahead and try to make them. He had watched someone from his past assemble and fry them..so how hard could it be?

An hour later, with just about every pot and pan dirty and laying around, he had finally made a batch of dumplings. They were half burnt..half undercooked..and far too spicy..but they survived. _I don't even want to begin to explain how the other batches went._

He bit into one.

Okay, so they were crap. But he was done trying to cook. He took the dumplings with him as he returned to Sakura's room. He didn't bother to knock, as usual, and walked in unannounced with his dish of dumplings. Without saying a word, he sat down on her bed and placed the food in between them. He glanced away, staring at the wall nearest him. If she complained, which he was sure she would, he would probably lose it right now and shove an unevenly cooked spicy dumpling down her throat.

_You know what..on second thought, I wont care at all if she dies. At least I wont have to try cooking ever again. _

* * *

**Akatsuki**

* * *

_Scattered across the shinobi world, each and every Akatsuki member performed the duties that leader found necessary. Their goal? Control of all tailed beasts. Their reasons?_

_Power__._

_Destruction._

_Rebirth. _

_And most importantly, world domination._

_They were paired in teams of two, and were expected to complete their missions._

_Deidara and Sasori had already successfully captured the one tails, Shukaku. Kakazu and Hidan had been sent to claim the two tails, Matatabi. Whether they succeeded or not was unknown, and a meeting had been set up to discuss matters. Of course, they were not all physically together. It was a mere illusion, a way to communicate._

_**"Kakazu"**_ Leader began. _**"Hidan".**_

_**"Jashins got another sacrifice, and we've got the tailed beast!"**_ _Hidan announced. Kakazu simply muttered under his breath to shut up._

_**"Good work. Now, as you all know, Sasori has been defeated. As such, Deidara had been momentarily partnerless. Sasori was hard to replace, however I've found a suitable match. Deidara, your new partner is tobi."**_

_**"Hiya senpai!"**_ _an orange masked man shouted to the blond male._

_Deidara groaned, shaking his head. How was he going to show off his art with a guy like him around?_

_**"You two are going to capture the three tails. Itachi, Kisame, you are to find the nine tails jinjuriki. I'm sure you know where to find him."**_

_**"Yes."**_

_**"Alright! This oughta be fun! Samehada's been itching for a fight!"**_

_The others discussed matters further, however Itachi paid little attention. He considered how quickly things were moving, and how much time he had. __Soon, little brother. Soon, you will be strong enough, and you will have your vengeance._


	10. Chapter 10

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura waited for her captor to return. She sat on her bed and laced her hands together, placing them gently on her lap. It was as if there were a chess board in front of her and she was strategically placing her pieces around where they were needed. Some on defensive, some on offensive. The door soon swung open again sending the young woman reeling out of her train of thought. _How irksome.._ she thought with an annoyed grimace that was soon replaced by her obviously fake, sweet smile. **"Back so soon, Kabuto sama?"** she asked, teasing him and pushing his buttons as she could tell he was irritated. _What's got him so riled up? Sasuke kun? No..It's something else..._ Glancing down at the tray that he placed in between them, she saw his gaze shift to a wall and snickered, trying to keep it stifled as much as she could.

_Oh that's just too funny.._ she thought, inwardly rolling around with laughter. _He can't cook..At least I can..somewhat...Okay, so I can't. Big deal. I don't let it frustrate me.._ Just to further push his buttons, testing the waters just to see how far she could go before it was 'too far', she slipped one of the dumplings into her mouth. _Oh Kami, that's awful.._ she thought, trying not to choke on it. _Hm, should I, or shouldn't I? I should.._ **"Even though I am not hungry, arigato. It was nice of you, even if they're rather gross.."** Her fake sweetness was mocking and she was so doing it on purpose. _It's just too much fun to mess with him..._ she thought, triumphantly as she scooted a little away from him just in case her comment made him blow his top.

_[ Okay, so I know I said I'd be good, but come on. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to screw with four eyes. It was way too much fun and he made it all so easy. He needed to learn how to hide his frustrations better, like I did. Had it been me that failed miserably at cooking, which it has been many a time, I would simply shrug it off and not cook any longer. No use crying over spilled milk. Even as I said they were horrible, they weren't 'that' bad. Honestly, I thought they'd be worse. It was just too amusing to pass up. Oddly enough, these mind games were becoming more natural to me as this game went on. At the time, I was only beginning to get serious. Just wait, for I would get much more ruthless in time. ]_.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"Dattebayo, let me out of here, Yamato, Kakashi sensei! I have to go and get Sakura chan!" The blond boy growled as he thrashed in his wooden prison, only earning him a sigh from the wood user and a smile from the copycat ninja. "Naruto, calm down. You need to cool off. Once you're calm, you can think straight, and you'll know that the best course of action is to let things fall where they may. Sakura knows what she's doing." "If she stays gone much longer, don't worry, we'll send someone after her, but it's not you." "I could do it! Sakura chan is my best friend..I have to go after her, what if she's in trouble! Let. Me. Out!" Naruto continued to angrily demand his teachers and Kakashi simply leaned against the door reading his Icha Icha paradise book, sighing softly to himself.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"Back so soon, Kabuto sama?" she questioned. Considering he had barged in, such a polite question was the last thing he had expected. Especially the respectful _sama_ she had used. He blinked, his anger being momentarily replaced by surprise. However, it was quickly obvious that his annoyance soon returned. She was teasing him. This infuriated him even more.

He was set on ignoring her..even as she began to laugh. He didn't care what she thought of his cooking, because in the end she would be stuck eating it and that would be worth it. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she slowly took one. She bit down, and he watched her swallow. Considering her previous laughter, he was hoping she would just choke on it. However, sadly she didn't. When she was done with the first dumpling, he sensed a moment of hesitation in her.

_Perhaps she's learned her lesson and is going to be nice.._ he thought.

"Even though I am not hungry, arigato. It was nice of you, even if they're rather gross.."

_Or..not.._

His left eye twitched. And twitched. He was extremely tempted to shove every disgusting dumpling down her throat until she choked to death. The only thing holding him back right now was that he didn't have permission to kill her. He turned to face her, and just stared at her for a moment. He wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't the kind of person to just punch her..what would be the fun in that? Orochimaru might need her to have both eyes fully in tact, so he wasn't about to scalpel her eye could switch her toes and fingers around..but it wouldn't be easy if she was conscious. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He picked up a handful of dumplings and, with his eye still twitching, threw them right at her face. She was too close and he was too fast for her to dodge this one.

He blinked once, than twice, and then started to laugh under his breath. He pushed up his glasses, hiding his humor filled eyes, and tried to muster a serious face. There was no way he was going to start laughing hysterically. Just a little on the inside. But on the outside? He wasn't that pathetic.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

Their weapons collided, and Orochimaru jumped back. They had been training for two hours straight, and although the Uchiha could no doubt keep going, this body of his was beginning to weaken at a faster rate. _It is best to save my energy.. there is work to be done.._

**"Training is over for the day. I've some things to do..** he stated, and turned around. He began walking the other way, but remembered there was something else to say. **"Ah..Sasuke. I encourage you to break the girl's will. Do whatever you wish to her, as long as you do not kill her.. Not yet, at least. I have some unfinished business."** he finished, a disturbing smirk etching his face. His plan was going _so _well.

He left the area in order to find one of his high ranking subordinates within the village. There was things that still needed to be done.

**"You are to make sure the nine tails jinjuriki receives this message: An adorable pink haired friend of his needs his help. If he does not come alone, she will die."**

"Hai!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura continued to wear her fake, innocent smile. The more she saw the vein in Kabuto's forehead throb, the more content she was. There was even a sick satisfaction when his left eye began to twitch after her comment about his cooking of the dumplings. _They really are pretty gross..demo, I suppose they could be worse..._ she thought, confidence dripped off of her as she just stared in oh so great satisfaction at the irritated man with glasses. She saw him hesitate for a moment as if pondering what to do, and this peaked her curiosity and interest. _Hm, what is he thinking?_ she wondered, trying to study his expression and find out, but to no avail. _Shimata..He's better at hiding it than I thought...Demo, it doesn't matter...I'm still the one laughing while he sits there in-_ Sakura's thoughts were interrupted very abruptly.

_...Did he just..._ The young woman's eye twitched in response to the fact that the normally serious and calculating Kabuto Yakushi had just picked up a handful of dumplings and hurled them at her face. She was too close and he was too fast for her to be able to dodge it, and for a moment, she just blinked a few times, frustration boiling inside of her as she slowly wiped off the mushy dumpling from her face. _Did he __**seriously**__ just throw that at me?!_ she repeated again in her mind, _All of this talk about __**me**__ being childish and acting it, and __**he**__ throws a handful of __**dumplings**__ at me?! ...Two can play that game..._ For the moment, their little game of chess was on hold, because this was personal. Everything in her told Sakura not to do it, not to pick them up and throw some back at him, that she'd regret it later if she did, but she was so annoyed and so shocked that she did it anyway.

All was quiet as Sakura picked up a handful of dumplings, placing them close to her mouth as if she were about to eat them. She may even have just eaten them to be polite had she not heard him. Laughter. He was laughing at the fact that she had mushy food on her face. Whether he tried to hide it or not, she heard him, and as her right eye twitched once more, she slammed the handful into the man's face, getting it all over his mouth, nose, glasses, and maybe even the smallest bit in his silver hair. Pulling back to say something very snarky, Sakura couldn't help herself. The sight was so funny and so odd that she too began to laugh, only she wasn't so good at hiding it.

**"Now you really do look like a dork, four eyes."** she said with a snicker, wiping at her eyes that held tears from her laughter.

_[ I knew that this wouldn't end well, or maybe I knew it would. I don't know. The funny thing was that as much as we were screwing with each others minds, trying to get an advantage all of the time just to prove we were better than one another, it was almost __**fun**__ when I recall that mini food fight of ours. I certainly hadn't expected Kabuto to throw food at my face, but then again, i didn't really think he expected for me to throw it back at him. It's as if in that moment, we weren't trying to hurt each other. We were just being dorks and it was kind of amusing. I knew it wouldn't last long. I knew we couldn't stay civil like this. For the time being, however, it was oddly enjoyable. ]_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_Something feels off..._ Sasuke paused in his training because he felt something very odd going on. He wasn't sure what it was, but it bugged him to the point of being distracted. However, about that time, his training was over and he simply gave his snake like master a nod of his head as he put his sword back in its sheath. _Something is very wrong...I don't know what it is...demo, it feels like something to do with Kabuto..What is that four eyes idiot doing..?_ The Uchiha male grimaced and stopped in his tracks, not turning his head, but staying to listen as Orochimaru spoke. Something about Sakura, but he really couldn't focus at the moment, so he only heard part of it. "I've no intention of killing Sakura. I have other things that I plan on doing..." was all he said as he walked off, being swallowed by the darkness as he headed toward a certain pink haired girl's room.

_[ I don't know what I thought it was, at the time. All I knew was that I sensed something odd about the chakra of Kabuto and Sakura. It was almost as if they weren't clashing and somewhat getting along. That was odd to me, so of course, I went to investigate. I was even irritated because it had distracted me from my training. Whatever they were doing, they had better have a good excuse for being so obnoxious..Especially if it involved four eyes. I still wasn't done messing with him, and if what I suspected was true, I was going to have far too much fun with our next encounter. ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Her face was covered in mushed dumplings, and her expression went from stunned to furious. Which he could completely understand, considering a minute ago he had been the one with the change of emotion. Kabuto was too busy laughing to pay attention to what she was about to do. So before he knew it, a handful of dumpling was smashed and smeared all over his face. It covered his glasses, went up his nose a little, and got stuck in some of his hair.

He froze, his laughter silenced, and just sat there for a moment. He then calmly removed his glasses and wiped them clean with his shirt. Without any hint of anger, he put them back on and just stared at her for a moment. He couldn't hold it in much longer though, and a small, sadistic smirk appeared on his face. Oh, she was going to _pay._

He reached for a couple more of the _delicious_ dumplings, and chucked them as if they were ninja stars. He made sure she couldn't dodge all of them. His eyes were full of evil intent, as he full planned on decorating her with these dumplings. And then, one of them accidentally fell down her shirt.

That was when he lost it.

He was laughing. He wasn't just snickering, or chuckling, he was _laughing._ Somehow, he managed to have fun without torturing and toying with someone. Admitting that to himself was really strange, too. The word "fun" wasn't usually in his vocabulary, at least not in such a childish way. But perhaps, just this once, this was okay. _This wont happen again.._ he told himself. _But for now, I'll forget about our game, just for a little while._

He found himself looking down her shirt, not in a perverted way of course, but just because that's where the dumpling fell. As soon as he realized where he was looking, he glanced away. It's a good thing the glare in his lens decided to show up, otherwise she would be able to see the awkwardly amused look in his eyes.

_{I remember that day clearly. It was the first time you gave me happiness. Although I was rather annoyed at your rudeness..it was somewhat fun. I hadn't felt such an emotion since I was much, much younger. I suppose a part of me missed it, not that I'd admit that out loud. You probably know that now though. __**Arigato, Sakura.**_ _I wish it could have lasted longer, but no, there were much bigger things happening at the time.} _


	12. Chapter 12

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura stared at the amusing picture of Kabuto Yakushi's face all covered in dumplings. It was _beautiful_ and she herself had been the cause of it. There was a small moment where she sensed revenge and ducked so that the first dumpling to come flying her way hit the wall instead.

**"Ha, missed. Maybe you need better glasses, four eyes."** she taunted, but then another hit her in the face, one fell down her shirt, and it was still fairly warm, and the others just adorned her clothing.

Wiping her face off again and fishing out the one that had fallen in her shirt, she set it down and noticed where the young man's eyes were. Of course, she knew it wasn't perverted or anything, but it was still strange and she flicked his forehead with a bit of a suppressed giggle.

**"My eyes are up here, you know."** She was teasing him and it was fun, odd, but fun.

_Something about this is so wrong, and yet, I don't care...I don't think he does either...He started it anyway..I simply retaliated..._ It didn't matter that Kabuto's glasses had once again caught the light above them. Sakura could still practically **feel** his amusement. It was the same as earlier when she could almost swore she heard his thoughts. The amusement was not to last, however. _This is really...starting to get weird..._ she thought, again wiping at her face and preparing to dodge anything else that was thrown at her in case the time came. _Oh, right!_ The pink haired woman picked up the last dumpling, chucking it at the door as if in some sort of symbolism of her hatred for it. Much to her surprise, embarrassment, and soon regret, in walked **him.**.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

As soon as Sakura had thrown the dumpling that had been in her shirt a moment ago, in walked Sasuke Uchiha. He already looked irritated, but getting a dumpling to the face seemed to stop him from saying what he had opened his mouth to say. There was a very awkward silence as the dark haired Uchiha looked from his childhood friend to his sort of 'rival'. Both of them were covered in mushy dumplings, and oh did it look _pathetic._

"Sakura...you're a mess..." he stated simply, wiping his face without the slightest hint of emotion, good nor bad. He threw what looked like a towel at her, only smaller. "Wipe off your face." he commanded. "You look pathetic..Such behavior is very unbecoming.." Glancing over to his true target, however, he couldn't suppress his knowing smirk.

"Kabuto. Getting a little too _comfortable_ with 'your' prisoner, ne? Keep it up and Orochimaru will surely hand her over to someone more capable..." Sasuke's blood red sharingan bored into Kabuto's onyx eyes, trying to find traces of just what was so amusing, and it better not have been that he himself had gotten nailed in the face when he walked in the door. _She looks ridiculous...They both do...Hmph...Pathetic..._ "Just what was going on in here anyway...Not that I care, but if I'm going to use this against Kabuto, I need a reason..I'll be back to speak with you later, Sakura chan.." With that, the Uchiha walked back out, shutting the door, and letting his anger show on his face once no one was around. _If she ever throws one of those things at me again, I'll break __**both**__ of her arms...and maybe her legs..._ And then he headed off to the waterfall to clean his face up.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ Of course I had to throw one last one, but how was I supposed to know that Sasuke kun would walk in the door the second I decided to throw it? It was stupid, bad timing on my part. As much as I hated to admit it at the time, I would rather spend every waking moment with Kabuto than with Sasuke kun. I knew what he was doing. I knew what he wanted. I would be damned if suddenly Sasuke kun had complete control over me. Still, it was one of the first times that I saw the side of Kabuto I never thought I'd see. I began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, parts of that boy I'd met in Konoha at the Chuunin Exams had been real. ]_.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"Dattebayo!" Naruto growled as he again tried with no luck to escape his teacher's wooden prison. "Let me out!" he commanded, slamming against the bars while Yamato and Kakashi laid off to the side. Kakashi was propped up reading his book while Yamato was just doing his best to hold up the jutsu. It was then that a messenger came in, rather panicked looking. "Naruto, where is Naruto Uzumaki?" he asked, panting like he'd been running for quite a ways. "Calm down, he's right here. What is it?" "There's a message for him.." The unknown leaf nin repeated what he'd been told by the Sound nin and Naruto exploded in a rage.

"WHAAAAT?! I TOLD YOU THAT SAKURA CHAN WAS IN TROUBLE!" The blond finally managed to snap the wooden bars, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. "I have to go. I have to help Sakura chan..." "Naruto, let's be rational about this..." Yamato began, only to get a glare from the angry jinchuriki. "Kakashi sensei, you have to let me go...She'll die if I don't..." Kakashi knew something was up, but also knew he couldn't stop Naruto. He'd decided that he would let the boy go, but he himself would tail him and stay just far enough away in case Naruto needed backup. "Alright.." was his only answer and before he had even finished his sentence, Naruto was out the door, sprinting towards the gate. "I'm coming, Sakura chan!".

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

He continued to chuckling, trying to stop his laughter, when all of a sudden he was flicked in the head. She was giggling, clearly finding the whole situation amusing. Strangely, he wasn't angry like he should have been. Every other time she laughed at him, he had always retaliated harshly. This time, however, he simply rubbed his forehead.

"My eyes are up here, you know."

A hint of a smirk appeared. **"Calm down, it isn't as if you have much to look at anyways"** he joked. Although it sounded rather mean and insulting, truth be told it was the closest thing to teasing he had ever done. Besides, it was a lie. Not that he paid attention to things like that, of course.

He watched her carefully as she picked up the last dumpling, ready to dodge it. However, she didn't throw it at him. She threw it at the door, perhaps to simply get rid of it or to try and anger him for ruining his last dumpling. He assumed the latter. However..she didn't exactly hit her target. What she hit was so, _so_ much better. Maybe she didn't think so, but oh, he did. The look on that annoying Uchiha brat, his mouth half open as he was about to speak and the last dumpling smeared on his face..oh, that was priceless. His smirk grew tenfold, and he was lucky to have an almost photographic sort of memory. This imagine would never leave his mind. And then, of course, he remembered the situation he and Sakura were in. They were covered in dumplings and were acting foolish.

_What a time for him to stop by, the one moment I left myself vulnerable. I should have been more careful. What has gotten into me?_

His eyes narrowed, an annoyed frown replacing his smirk. He was insulting her, and that irked him. She was _his_ and that was _his_ job. And then he had the audacity to insult him. "Kabuto. Getting a little too comfortable with 'your' prisoner, ne? Keep it up and Orochimaru will surely hand her over to someone more capable..."

He jumped up from her bed, his eyes narrowed and pure anger radiating off of him. He stepped closer, so close that their bodies were inches away. However, he did not look directly into his eyes like he wanted to. He knew what those sharingan could do. It was the only thing that gave the Uchiha and edge. But oh, he wanted to. He didn't often get truly enraged, usually he could counter anything with a cool head. But right now, he was furious. _How dare he!?_

**"She. Is. Mine. She will always be mine. Orochimaru sama would never hand her off to the likes of **_**you"**_ he hissed. He then took a small breath. **"Quite frankly, what we were doing doesn't concern you. She was put under my watch, not yours. Now get out."**

He watched as the boy finally left, but he didn't move from his place even after the door was slammed shut in front of him. He closed his eyes, calming his breath. What was wrong with him? He never liked Sasuke, but he also never let his rage control him so much. This was bad. He needed to go back to the cool, in control Kabuto. He was beginning to get weak. He wasn't about to let the boy win, but if he continued to let his anger control him, he was going to lose the game.

_{And that, Sakura, is why I had to stop being 'fun'. You were my prisoner, not my acquaintance. Not some girl who managed to make me laugh. I was determined to never let this happen again. You were nothing to me, nothing more than a prisoner.}_


	13. Chapter 13

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ I watched with careful precision as Sasuke insulted Kabuto, then turned to me. I'd never admit how hurtful his words were. The tone of voice he held, the way he looked at me, it was as if he was still calling me that same annoying little girl I used to be way back then. My frustration rose, but I refused to do such a thing as cry. That was the old me. I was different then and I was different now. Even so, for some reason, in infuriated me to see Sasuke talking to him like that. Maybe it was because at the time I was afraid. I was very afraid that Sasuke kun would somehow come to be in control of me. Even if I had to deal with Kabuto when he insulted and played mind games with me, he wasn't nearly as bad as even the simple __**thought**__ of Sasuke kun being able to order me around. This day got worse and worse, and somehow, I knew that the second Sasuke kun shut the door, everything would go back to normal. And it did.. ]_.

Sakura sat in silence for a long while after Sasuke had gone. Kabuto's words had both frightened her and made her curious. It was all a matter of perspective. To anyone else that did not know the two, it would seem as if Kabuto was an overprotective boyfriend of sorts. For people that **did** know what was going on, it was like the young woman weren't even a person, just a non sentient object. _There is no mistaking that there was possessiveness in that statement.._ she thought to herself, pondering it over as the wheels in her noggin began to turn more than usual. _I know what he meant when he said it, and yet part of me is still curious...Perhaps it really is best if we don't act civil toward one another...Perhaps I should just make him continue to hate me so that Sasuke kun will leave him alone..._ Wait, she was thinking about the well being of her enemy though. This was Kabuto she was talking about. The same Kabuto that had always insulted her and made her life harder than it already was. Why was she trying to make **anything** easier on him? _For the sake of the game..._ she decided, trying to convince herself that it was the real reason she was doing it.

_If I act kind to him, the game is less fun. If I act the way I normally do, maybe even a little worse, the game becomes interesting. It becomes a battle of wits and will...and that is what I will do...The next time Sasuke kun happens to catch us together, it will be both of us toying with the others mind...We had our fun, Kabuto...demo, now is the time to get back to our game..._ Sakura nodded to herself, snapping out of her train of thought as she did so. Clearing her throat, the young woman decided to speak. **"To your earlier comment, you'd be surprised what there is to look at, not that you'll ever see it."** Yawning, she leaned back and flipped her hair like a prissy female. **"You also shouldn't let Sasuke kun get to you so much. It's unbecoming of a man.."** _That should hurt him...he said that to Naruto once..._ Sakura folded her arms, glancing at the young man with silver hair and flashing that oh so fake, innocent smile. _Just one more, and he'll get so mad that he'll go flying out the door.._ **"And what's with the possessiveness? I'm so flattered. I didn't know you cared."** The sarcasm was rather obvious in her voice and she made sure of it, because although she was curious as to what exactly that comment had meant, she didn't think she wanted to delve too much in between the lines just yet.

_[ I knew it would make you mad, Kabuto kun. I knew what I was doing was going to make you furious. I hope you know now that I only did it to try and make your life easier. I could see the same thing you did. I could see that there were times where we didn't hate each other, and that was bad. I was a prisoner and you were my captor. That was all we were to each other. Gomen for that time. Maybe it wasn't the best course of action, demo, can you really say that you regret it now? I certainly can't. It got us where we are now, ne? ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The silence was refreshing. Kabuto did not hesitate to quiet his mind and relax. He hated to admit it, but Sasuke had been right. He had been getting far too comfortable with her, and he wondered for a moment if Orochimaru would actually take her away and give her to Sasuke. He wouldn't let that happen. He didn't know why, but he knew he wouldn't. _He_ controlled the game. Not Orochimaru, and certainly not Sasuke. _His_ pawn. _His_ toy. _His_ prisoner.

"To your earlier comment, you'd be surprised what there is to look at, not that you'll ever see it."

He ignored her words at first, debating on whether or not she deserved for him to even answer. He also knew that whatever he said to her from now on, would be cruel. He wasn't going to show any sympathy towards her, and he was going to hurt her. He was going to enjoy this game in his own way, not her way. He refrained from speaking, deciding that whatever he said would be pointless. What was he to do, agree with her? Say he never wanted to see? He doubted it would upset her at all. Although he was still facing away from her, he watched her out of the corner of his eyes. She was leaning back, playing with her hair like your typical female kunoichi. That was something he had never seen her do, and it was unlike. Strangely, even such a simple gesture annoyed him.

"You also shouldn't let Sasuke kun get to you so much. It's unbecoming of a man.."

He said nothing. Absolutely nothing. On the inside, he was burning alive in anger. His blood was boiling. He felt close to exploding. Not only did such a small thing as _Sasuke kun_ annoy him, because it disgusted him that anyone could use such an affectionate term towards the Uchiha, but the real thing that infuriated him was the fact that she threw a statement he had once used back at him. The way she said it almost made it seem as if she was suggesting he was less than a man than her 'Sasuke kun'. He clenched his fist tightly for a moment, before letting himself relax again. _I don't care what she says or thinks. At the very least, in time I wont. She is nothing._ he thought, turning towards her. He slowly took steps closer, but did not sit down on the bed.

He chuckled darkly, pushing up his glasses. Although he refused to admit it, even to himself, this was easier when she could not see into his eyes. Controlling his emotions had never been so hard. He stared at her for a moment, a sinister smirk slowly appearing on his face. **"It is very unbecoming of a man to let another talk bad about his possession. You are my toy, my pet. I will use you as I like, but I will not let someone else do the same. Only I control you."**

Oh, he would have fun with her now. This was the perfect way to get rid of any pesky kindness. He ran a finger up her arm, to her shoulder and her neck. He then lifted her chin up until she was looking directly at him.

"And what's with the possessiveness? I'm so flattered. I didn't know you cared."

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer. He could feel her breath when he was this close. Oh, he was pissed. You could see it in his eyes. But he would take out his anger on her. He wasn't going to lose control of his emotions, not again. He would simply enjoy himself. He held her firmly, expecting a struggle but knowing he would not let her go. He focused the chakra into one of his fingers, producing a chakra blade sharp enough to do some serious damage. He wouldn't kill her though, that would be no fun. He ran his finger from her chin to her collarbone, and down her arm. A thin line of blood followed his finger. Although he made sure the wound was not deep, there was blood covering her arm.

**"You think I care about you? I'm just having fun, that's all. You are mine, and you will never be your precious Sasuke kun's."**

He let the words sink in, and stared into her emerald eyes. For a moment, sadness flashed in his eyes. He wondered if she could see it. A part of him still didn't want it to be like this, but he would eventually push that piece of him away. For now, he forced away the feeling. He was happy. This made him happy.

He knew she could heal her wounds, but that meant the more she healed the more he could hurt her. And wouldn't that be exciting?

**"Remember what I said, about being a good girl? I suggest you take that to heart. Be my good little girl and behave. I don't have to punish you if I know you are mine, but if there is any doubt, I'm afraid I will. And I don't mind punishing you."**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura waited for her words to sink in. At the moment, it seemed that Kabuto was choosing to ignore her. _Maybe that's for the best.._ she thought, refusing to let her true emotions show at this point in time. For those small moments, it appeared as if the young man was just going to leave what she had said alone and move on. That would have been what the kunoichi preferred, but that's not what happened. There was a dark tone as she heard a noise next to her. It was Kabuto. Oh man did he look pissed. Clearly he was trying to hide it behind his glasses, but Sakura knew that even as he spoke, he seemed just as conflicted as her. Well, she thought he did until she actually heard and let sink in what he said.

"It is very unbecoming of a man to let another talk bad about his possession. You are my toy, my pet. I will use you as I like, but I will not let someone else do the same. Only I control you.".

Kabuto's words hit Sakura like a brick in the face. Slowly but surely, her emerald eyes widened and she stared at him, fear in her eyes that she did her best to hide, though it wasn't enough. _Wow, I didn't expect such a drastic change.._ she thought, taking the time to swallow a rather large lump that had gotten itself lodged in her throat. She probably should have left it alone, but when did she ever do what she 'should' have done. This was Haruno Sakura, after all. She was always running her mouth and getting herself in trouble. **"Idiot.."** she growled, the fear very much concealed now, and her confidence and sarcasm back with a vengeance. _"Stop while you're ahead, baka!"_ Even inner Sakura was warning her, but the pleas fell on deaf ears.

**"I am **_**not**_** a possession, four eyes. Not to you, nor Sasuke kun. No one owns me and I will **_**not**_** be controlled. If you think I'm going to lie down and take it like your 'good little girl', you've got another thing coming..."** Even as she spoke, there was very poisonous venom in her tone. Oh she was mad. Sakura had never been so furious in her life. Still, part of her was still conflicted, and she even thought she saw the conflict in the young man's eyes as he forced himself to go even further than he'd already gone. _He's doing what needs to be done...and I'm doing what needs to be done...We are now acting the way we should be...and the game has resumed...I have to make up for that poisonous comment if I'm going to keep from getting hurt though...I have to remember my strategy...I can't let my emotions take over..I'm the one in control...not him..._.

Even as the young kunoichi reassured herself of this, she was about to say something else when she felt something foreign to her. And by foreign, let us assume that Sakura was not touched very often. She did not like it. A finger trailed up her arm, past her shoulder, and all the way up to her chin where it was lifted up so that Sakura was forced to look Kabuto straight in his angry onyx eyes. Again, the young woman swallowed rather hard, the fear returning and running away again. The pink haired girl was rather annoyed. One minute, she had the courage to spout any kind of venom she felt like, the next, she was so overtaken by fear that she could almost feel herself trembling. _"Shimata, get it together, Sakura, Shanarou!"_.

As if Kabuto knew what she was feeling and decided to do something to further upset her, Sakura soon found that she could not move as she was being held in place. Of course, she struggled, angry that he had the nerve to do such a thing. **"Why you, let go of me or I'll hit you so hard that your head will spin!"** The tone in the young woman's voice was that of anger, laced with fear and something else that could not yet be described in that moment. Her struggling was to no avail, as his grip was iron. Soon, Sakura's eyes caught sight of the eerie color of chakra being focused into his index finger. She knew what was coming before it even happened, but it still hurt enough to cause her to squeak in pain. _Shimata! I can't keep doing that just because it hurts! It shows weakness! It gives him an advantage! I will __**not**__ lose!_ The concentrated chakra that created a blade was enough to do some very serious damage, yet it only seemed to be a warning as it trailed down from her chin and down to her arm, not cutting deep enough to do anything but bleed. A lot.

Sakura's body again betrayed her as she cringed from the pain of such a long and bloody cut. Glaring with a fiery gaze, the young woman continued to struggle until he did finally let go of her. However, insult was soon added to injury. Quite literally.

"You think I care about you? I'm just having fun, that's all. You are mine, and you will never be your precious Sasuke kun's.".

There were two things that made Sakura angry about those words. One was that she knew he didn't care about her and that was why she had been so damn sarcastic when she'd teased him about it a little earlier. **"If I thought you cared, I wouldn't have tried to get under your skin with my blatantly obvious sarcasm...I thought you were supposed to be intelligent, four eyes.."** The second thing was that she did not 'want' to be Sasuke's, and that was what he seemed to not understand. _I thought that I had made it clear that he was better than Sasuke kun, although when he switches moods like this...Nope, still better than Sasuke kun...Grin and bear it, Sakura...You have to put up with it, just for a little bit longer...I swear, had I not promised to behave for a few days, I'd knock him out where he stood and escape right this second...First things first, I have to get this wound healed.._ The young woman was dizzy from the amount of blood and even the mere sight of it. She was a medic, very used to seeing blood, but seeing her own made her very unhappy.

Staring back into Kabuto's onyx eyes, Sakura saw the smallest flash of sadness. It reassured her of her earlier thoughts, but didn't make her any less angry. _I already said that I know it's better this way...He has to do what he feels helps him feel in control, and I have to do the same...It's all part of the game, you see...Gomen, Kabuto sama...Maybe in another universe, we could have been friends...As much as I hate to admit it, I enjoyed our small bit of 'fun.' I know it won't happen again, and that's fine...Demo, I know that there is confliction in us both...Maybe we can help each other kill those sides of us...Won't that be fun, ne?_.

"Remember what I said, about being a good girl? I suggest you take that to heart. Be my good little girl and behave. I don't have to punish you if I know you are mine, but if there is any doubt, I'm afraid I will. And I don't mind punishing you.".

Sakura finally kept her mouth shut. She just stared at the man before her who seemed to hold so much power, he was gaining ground fast on their chess board, and the young woman had to do something quickly to stop that. _Remember the strategy...Play it safe..._ she kept telling herself, biting her tongue and then her lip very hard as she fought the urge to give him some snake bite comment about his last sentence spoken to her. **"Very well, Kabuto sama. I'll behave like a good girl, just like I promised...I'm not fond of your punishments.."** _Heh, I really do surprise myself with my acting skills sometimes...My eye had better not be twitching..._ It wasn't, but Sakura couldn't suppress the small smirk teasing the edge of her lips. _As I said before, I'll be a good girl...but when you least expect it, I'll steal your king and it will be checkmate..._.

_[ Oh my. I remember that time. That particular day. You said such things to me that could be taken in such an odd way. I took it the way I was supposed to, although now, were you to say those things, I'm quite sure they'd mean something different. That cut you made on my arm made me mad, demo, I won't admit that I was too scared to really give any kind of real retaliation, I mean, you were serious. Kabuto kun, you could be so sadistic when you felt like it. I'm just glad that now it's all over and we are happy together. That time really was painful. Were you really as conflicted as me? I wonder that sometimes. ]_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_[ The fact that Kabuto let me see his emotions so easily was rather surprising. Normally, it was infuriating how much it took to get him riled up to the point where he actually showed it. It seemed to me that Sakura chan was doing a little bit better job of getting under his skin than me, lately, and I wanted to change that. Demo, how to use that to my advantage. I decided that I'd use Sakura chan in more ways than one. I still carried on with my original plan, demo, I would let her undo Kabuto to the point where I could break him and make him suffer. At the moment, I was on my way to talk to Orochimaru. I wanted to see just what it would take to get 'custody' of the little Sakura blossom switched over to me. It really just was oh so fun when things would go my way and I could continue to manipulate my pieces.. ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The fear in the pink-headed kunoichi's eyes excited him. Her breathing became uneven, but their eye contact did not break. She could not hide that she was scared of him, and for that he was glad. She should be _very_ scared of him. However, she should have been so chilled to the bone to speak. That wasn't like her though, she never did keep her mouth shut. Not when she was angry.

"Idiot.." he heard her spit out.

**"Heh. You are in no position to insult me"** he replied, grinning. She was bold, he gave her that. Bold and reckless.

"I am not a possession, four eyes. Not to you, nor Sasuke kun. No one owns me and I will not be controlled. If you think I'm going to lie down and take it like your 'good little girl', you've got another thing coming..."

Somehow, she still believed that she was not his. She believed he could not control her. Oh, she would learn. It shouldn't take long for her to realize that she would never be free from him. _As stubborn as she is..her will can't last forever. The longer it lasts..the more the challenge. And I do enjoy a good challenge._

As he neared her, it was clear that she was uncomfortable. And as he touched her, he realized that she really didn't like to be touched. Especially by someone like him. Someone so sadistic and evil, with dark intentions..he was not surprised when she flinched. Her courage disappeared, replaced momentarily by her anger. It seemed she couldn't hide her terror forever. Moments of anger and fear flashed back and forth, taking turnes within her emerald irises. He held her firmly, her struggling useless.

"Why you, let go of me or I'll hit you so hard that your head will spin!" she threatended, resulting in a second chuckle escaping his lips. She was blind, too. She was his prisoner, and he was doing what he liked to her. Still, she was certain she would be able to hurt him. Her fury was evident, although it wasn't like she could act on it. Didn't she realize that she could do nothing? He was able to cut her as he pleased. She deserved it. _For what?_ he began to wonder, but quickly pushed the thought away. She had ruined everything, that is why she deserved it. She was nothing but trouble. Even if she didn't do anything specific to him..aside from annoy him.

"If I thought you cared, I wouldn't have tried to get under your skin with my blatantly obvious sarcasm...I thought you were supposed to be intelligent, four eyes.."

His intelligence was insulted yet again, which gave him his reason. He had a reason to punish her. She was _rude,_ albiet that was a small one considering he had done the same to her. Still, he ignored that fact and focused on his anger towards the annoying Uchiha who irked him. Maybe he was taking it out on her, but that was quite alright. He was allowed to do as he wished. She seemed dizzy under his hold, which was no doubt due to her blood lost. Perhaps that was why she suddenly submitted to him. She still seemed angry, however in her weakened state is was possible she finally made the intelligent move.

"Very well, Kabuto sama. I'll behave like a good girl, just like I promised...I'm not fond of your punishments.."

Still, he could almost hear her thoughts. She was just playing along with his game because it wasn't yet her turn to move on the offensive. She was losing fellow pawns, avoiding his tactics. She even sacraficed a bishop. However, soon she would attack. One wrong move of his, and she would try and take out some of his mose vital pieces. She wasn't giving up just yet. She wasn't quite ready to submit to him. Her smirk intriged him futher. _Are you enjoying this, Sakura? You are afraid, but you still manage to have fun with our little game. I only hope it ends well._

**"I'll be leaving you now, but don't get too used to being alone. I'll be back shortly. You aren't my only troublesome errand. And don't count on being fed for awhile. Since the food I brought was so disgusting, I doubt you'll miss it anyways."** he explained, and let go of her. He turned away from her and walked out the door, no hesitation in his step. However, when he was on the other side of the door and it was sealed, he didn't leave. Instead, he slid down the door and sat leaning against it. Truthfully, he needed a moment before doing anything. He also wanted to make sure Sasuke didn't decide to drop by. That was the only reason he stayed on the other end, because he knew she would not escape. And he definetly didn't care about her well being.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

What an interesting day..and it keeps getting better. _I sense that Sasuke will be here soon.._ he thought, an evil smile appearing. _And the nine tails brat wont hesitate to save his friend, that I don't doubt. I do hope he isnt too early, dealing with him until the Akatsuki take the bait will be a bit too exciting. _

He moved his thoughts to a seperate place in his mind for the time being as the Uchiha, the boy whos body would soon be his, appeared suddenly. He was not surprised in the least to see him. **"Hello, Sasuke. Is there something you wish to discuss?"**

Although he asked, he had a strong feeling of what this was about. What else would he have to discuss besides his adorable little pink headed 'friend'?

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Each step they took was quick and silent. They had been headed to the leaf village, although of course they weren't going to go in. The plan had been to lure them out. However, the plan had been changed when new information came in.

"Eh, Itachi, whatdoya think of this? Why would the naruto kid be going to sound? You think it has something to do with your brother?"

He couldn't be certain, but it didn't feel right. It seemed odd, too much of a coincidence. It was expected that Naruto wouldn't give up at returning Sasuke. Itachi believed that if anyone would guide him home, it would be that boy. He hoped. But it didn't feel like that was what this was about.

_Orochimaru..what are you up to this time?_

"Hey, Itachi! Are you gonna answer me?

**"Hn?"** he questioned, too busy in his thoughts to put effort into speaking.

"I asked you what you think is going on..jeez, what is going through that head of yours?

He sighed. However, he didn't ignore Kisame. Anyone else and he would have, not out of rudeness but simply because he had no need for words. Kisame was a good companion..no..friend to him. Out of all the akatsuki, it was no doubt that they got along the best. Instead of staying silent like he so wanted, he decided to be thankfully for what he had.

**"I can only speculate, however, I do not believe it is about my little brother."** he guessed, glancing away. They were now headed in the direction of the sound village, where Naruto would soon be. _As well as Sasuke.._


	15. Chapter 15

**Sakura**

* * *

"Heh. You are in no position to insult me." Sakura's eyes blazed with fury and spite as she heard those words. She tried to keep herself quiet in order to keep her physical state healthy, but she just could not let that go. It irked her far too much. **"You think so? Last time I checked, I have part of my chakra back...All it would take would be a swift punch to knock your lights out...Don't underestimate me..."** Her tone was so icy that the air around literally seemed to freeze as she spoke.

Not only did Sakura not **think** that she was his possession or that he could control her, she **knew** so. _I know so, because I don't wish it to be that way..._ she thought, clearing her face of any emotion whatsoever. The young woman was now stoic and calm. It wouldn't last as it never did, but for now, she was in control of her emotions and in control of the situation. _If I don't wish it, it will not be so...Go ahead and think what you'd like, Kabuto...Very soon you'll see just how wrong you've been this entire time...and while I am slightly afraid, I will not let you break my will...no matter what you do..._.

"I'll be leaving you now, but don't get too used to being alone. I'll be back shortly. You aren't my only troublesome errand. And don't count on being fed for awhile. Since the food I brought was so disgusting, I doubt you'll miss it anyways.".

The young kunoichi rolled her eyes a little at Kabuto's last comment. The second he was gone, she let out a frustrated growl and her anger made its way back to her porcelain features. **"Damn that idiotic Kabuto and damn my emotions. I can't keep letting him see that! Yes, I was afraid...very much afraid...but I can't let him know that...It's weak, it's unwise, and it's not part of my strategy...He and Sasuke **_**kun**_** will soon realize that no matter what they do, my will is a brick wall...**.

The girl didn't even realize she was talking aloud until she heard an echo around the empty room. Sighing to herself, she sat back and hovered a hand over her large wound. There was an eerie green glow as the concentrated chakra began to heal the damage that had been done. **"Hmph. Be a good little girl or I get punished. Keep it up. Punish me all you like..I'll never submit to you or anyone else for that matter..."** Cringing from the pain of the wound, Sakura groaned and focused all of her chakra so that even if it were depleting slightly, it was enough to close up the cut and stop the bleeding. _Damn, that took most of my chakra, demo I think I healed it enough so that it will finish healing on its own.._ Little did the young woman know that she was not as alone as she thought.

_[ I'm not going to lie, Kabuto kun. That time when you were trying so hard to break me, I was about ready to clean your clock. I hated and resented your words. I hated you. A part of me even hated Sasuke kun. Even then, I had no idea you were sitting outside of the door and could hear every word I'd said. Maybe that's why things got so interesting when I saw you next. You also neglected to inform me that Naruto kun was on his way. I'm not mad about it anymore, demo obviously, I was then. Well, when I found out anyway. Shimata, that wound took almost all of my chakra to heal. It wasn't super deep, demo, it was large. I sometimes wonder if you knew what Sasuke kun was up to. I did. It scared me more than you ever could... ]_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

The Uchiha male known as Sasuke made his way to where he knew his snake like master would be. He was currently making sure that his plan that involved the Akatasuki and Naruto was going right. The young man could care less about the part to do with his _other_ former teammate, just the part about the Akatsuki. That was where _he_ was. _Itachi..Soon, I'll be strong enough and then I'll have my vengeance on you..._ he thought, anger filling him, but his facial expression remained stoic and void of emotion. Orochimaru's acknowledgment of the boy's presence did not surprise him in the least. _He often seems to know when I'm on my way to discuss something, not that it matters...All that matters is my vengeance and my plan.._.

"As a matter of fact.." he began, a small smirk teasing at the corner of his lips. "I wish to discuss a certain pink haired 'friend' of mine...Kabuto san just isn't cutting it. Getting to the point, I want to be the one in charge of her...I'd do a much better job of dealing with that mouth of hers..Kabuto san is too soft..." Keeping to himself what he had seen earlier, he had to hide the darkness that wanted to leak into his amusement. "I even witnessed something earlier that proved my suspicions..And about the Akatsuki...I know what you're planning...Do what you will with Naruto, demo, Itachi is mine...If he is foolish enough to step foot in here, I will be the one to deal with him..".

The Uchiha male's voice was now a little more serious and less taunting than before. He did not jest when it came to the matters of his older brother, Itachi. "That it all.." he said finally, opening his eyes to reveal the sharingan rather than those natural dark onyx eyes. _Just wait, Sakura chan.._ he thought to himself, _Kabuto won't know what to do when I take his pawn away..and use it for myself.._.

* * *

**Naruto and Kakashi**

* * *

"Hurry up, Kakashi sensei!" the blond boy yelled as he hurried through the trees with the speed of the wind. _I've got to get there soon. Hold on, Sakura chan. I'll save you!_ Kakashi did his best to keep up with the boisterous young ninja, but man he was fast when he was determined about something. _Naruto needs to calm down...I know he wants to save Sakura chan, and I do too, demo he needs to be ready for anything..This is very obviously a trap..Just what are you up to, Orochimaru..?_ The silver haired sensei thought to himself as he finally started to catch up with Naruto.

_According to where we've searched and who we've asked, we shouldn't be too far away from the most recent hideout...Good thing there are enough people who hate the Sound that want to help bring them down in any way, shape, or form they can..._ "Naruto san, be careful. Slow down and-" The sensei was interrupted by something. He saw something that looked very familiar. _Black cloaks with red clouds...Oh no..._ "Naruto, get down!" he ordered, grabbing the boy mid jump to duck into the bushes. Kakashi shielded their chakra, poking his head out from behind their hiding place to watch. _I knew this wasn't good, but now we have to deal with the Akatsuki too..?_.

Naruto gasped as Kakashi tackled him into the bushes and saw what all the commotion was about. _The Akatsuki, what are they doing here?_ he questioned, quirking a brow and watching them closely. _Maybe they can lead us to the Sound hideout and then we can find Sakura chan!_ Excitement bubbled up in the young man's chest and he crouched low, watching, waiting, hoping.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Her words had been chilling, and as hard as ice. It was interesting to see her so angry. He remember a time when she would have hid and sobbed, blurry eyed with tears streaming down her soft skin. But now, she was different. Older. She had matured much more than he had originally believed, and it was clearly evident in the way she had handled her situation. Granted, had she become mature and intelligent, she wouldn't let her emotions control her in the way that they did. One moment she would be silent with fear, the next she would be screaming with rage. He had underestimated her, however not anymore. No, she was a challenge. One that pierced his very core, and shook him like no other had ever managed. She was the one who made his life difficult, and yet a small part of him didn't mind. Her company was torture, yet a lack of it was just as bad. When he was around, he had to deal with her emotions and, more often than not, his. But when he wasn't, he didn't know what was happening. He had no clue what Sasuke was doing to..or with..her. In this respect, the Uchiha was winning. He had the edge because he was not worried for Sakura's well being. But Kabuto was. He wouldn't let that boy hurt her. Which was one of several reasons why he was still out here, resting in front of her door as if he was a bodyguard._Heh, I suppose I can be pathetic as long as she isn't around to see._

"Damn that idiotic Kabuto and damn my emotions. I can't keep letting him see that! Yes, I was afraid...very much afraid...but I can't let him know that...It's weak, it's unwise, and it's not part of my strategy...He and Sasuke kun will soon realize that no matter what they do, my will is a brick wall...

His eyes narrowed as he heard her call him idiotic, but returned to normal as she admitted she was afraid. A small part of him felt strange for listening in on something he wasn't supposed to hear, but a much bigger part of him didn't care. _So although you were so afraid..you still are certain that I will not break your willpower. Although you are wrong..you included Sasuke in your words. Does that mean you wont let him have you either? But Sakura, don't you see? I enjoy toying with you,, but Sasuke will twist your thoughts and feelings until they mean nothing, break your bones one at a time, and bring you to near death over and over again. And if he uses his sharingan, your pain is infinite. You are stronger than you once were..but you aren't stronger than him. I really dislike thinking this, but considering his kekkai Genkai I doubt I could beat him. If it weren't for that pesky sharingan, he'd be long dead by now._

"Hmph. Be a good little girl or I get punished. Keep it up. Punish me all you like..I'll never submit to you or anyone else for that matter..."

_Again..she says she would never to submit to anyone. That includes Sasuke._ he realized, suddenly very relieved. He was glad that she did not want to be Sasuke's, although the fact that he cared was very troublesome. But as long as he didn't show he cared in front of anyone else..it should be okay. He would keep it to himself. He heard her groan, and he assumed she was healing her wound. Although he enjoyed what he did..it felt wrong. But as long as she didn't know, it didn't matter.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

Sasuke seemed to be deep in thought, however not lost. He had a motive for coming here, and he wouldn't be distracted. As a matter of fact..I wish to discuss a certain pink haired 'friend' of mine...Kabuto san just isn't cutting it. Getting to the point, I want to be the one in charge of her...I'd do a much better job of dealing with that mouth of hers..Kabuto san is too soft..I even witnessed something earlier that proved my suspicions.."

Orochimaru considered his words for a moment, and then started laughing. It wasn't a joyful, happy laugh. It was a dark, devious laugh. Sasuke wanted _possession_ of her. His right hand man and his future body were fighting over who got to have her. Sasuke..the young boy was convinced he would be better suited to playing with the cute girl.

"How..interesting." he began, his smirk growing. Why, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you were trying to save her. But I do know you better, Sasuke. I'd suggest you take turns messing with the girl, but I know Kabuto better. He will want her all to himself. He can be rather greedy at times I suppose..but, do tell me what evidence you have saying he is soft. In my years of knowing him, I've seen him be many things. I'm not sure soft is even in his vocabulary, Sasuke."

"And about the Akatsuki...I know what you're planning...Do what you will with Naruto, demo, Itachi is mine...If he is foolish enough to step foot in here, I will be the one to deal with him..".

"Of course. If you can get Itachi, you can have him. Kabuto and I will be able to take the brat." he began, his disturbing smile growing. "You can have the girl until naruto arrives. But you will not, under any circumstance, kill her. Kabuto will be the one to do that..right in front of Naruto." he stated, laughing loudly. Oh, his plan was genius.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Itachi had sensed someones presence, and had immediately landed in a nearby clearing to get a better look. He landed silently on the soft, overgrown grass, and seemingly stared in front of him. However, his eyes glanced over to his left where bushes were leading deeper into the forest. He could sense no chakra presence, but he had seen the boy. His eyes pierced the bushes, right into the gaze of a blond who he could not see but knew he was there. If he had bothered to activate his sharingan, he could look at him clearly. However, there was no need. There was no doubt that he was here. _Naruto._

Shortly after, Kisame had landed to his right. His hand was gripping samehada tightly. "What is it!?"

He considered the both of them fighting Naruto here. If they battle before reaching Orochimaru's hideout, this trap would certainly be spoiled. However, the problem would not be solved. Neither of them would be dead, and so this trap could easily be set up again. The best course of action was to figure out what Orochimaru was up to. And to do that..

**"It is nothing. Go on ahead, I will catch up"**

Kisame only hesitated a moment, however nodded his head in agreement. He trusted Itachi, and wouldn't question things.

When he was certain Kisame was far enough away, he turned his body in the direction of the bushes. He stared at them a moment. **"I only wish to talk, nothing more."**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sasuke**

* * *

"How..interesting. Why, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you were trying to save her. But I do know you better, Sasuke. I'd suggest you take turns messing with the girl, but I know Kabuto better. He will want her all to himself. He can be rather greedy at times I suppose..but, do tell me what evidence you have saying he is soft. In my years of knowing him, I've seen him be many things. I'm not sure soft is even in his vocabulary, Sasuke."

Oh, this was going to be amusing. "Hmph. Gladly. Earlier as I went to check on them both, I noticed something I found rather odd and a bit out of character. Normally, I would agree that softness didn't seem possible for him, but he was being so childish..." Sasuke would have been able to keep his composure had he not remembered that Sakura had nailed him in the face when he came in. His eye began to twitch slightly, but he realized it and shoved it away.

"Of course. If you can get Itachi, you can have him. Kabuto and I will be able to take the brat. You can have the girl until naruto arrives. But you will not, under any circumstance, kill her. Kabuto will be the one to do that..right in front of Naruto."

"Hmph. Good. As long as I can watch, though I hope it's not quick. Naruto's suffering is something I'd greatly like to see.." And with that, the Uchiha male turned on his heels and headed back towards Sakura's room. _Won't Kabuto san be happy to know that I win...Despite his efforts, I knew it would turn out this way...And even better, I get to torture my Sakura chan for a little bit before she dies.._ The smirk on Sasuke's face grew in size as he approached his destination, only to see something he did not quite expect.

"Hmph. Kabuto san. What may I ask are you doing sitting pathetically in front of Sakura chan's door, ne? I've come to take her off of your hands. Orochimaru cleared it.." His tone was taunting and amused as it could be.

_Come on. I want to see the look on your face when you realize you've lost...That I won...That she's mine now.._ From inside the door, there was a large squeak and then a sound of surprise. **"EH?! YOU'VE BEEN OUTSIDE THE DOOR THIS ENTIRE TIME?! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HEAR ANY OF THAT!"** The pink haired young woman freaked out as she narrowed her eyes at the door in annoyance. However, Sasuke's words soon hit her hard. She swallowed a lump in her throat, fear very obvious. _N-No way...How did Sasuke kun..._ Shaking her head, Sakura sat back on her bed and considered hiding. She didn't want to go with Sasuke. She'd rather deal with Kabuto every day for the rest of her life than her former friend.

"Move aside, Kabuto.." Sasuke demanded, standing in front of him and waiting for him to move away from the door. _Check and mate...Kabuto...Sakura chan.._.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

_What is he up to..?_ Kakashi thought, knowing full well that Itachi had seen them. _Why is he not attacking us..?_ When the Uchiha spoke in the direction of the two other males, he nodded and came out of hiding.

"If what you say is true, then you won't mind if Naruto stays..."

"N-Nani? Dattebayo, Kakashi sensei, don't make me stay in hiding..." Naruto pouted as he did as he was told, staying in the bushes.

Kakashi watched Kisame leave, wondering still what it could be that Itachi wanted to 'talk' about. "What exactly did you want to talk about..? If you're trying to get to Naruto, I'm afraid that I cannot allow that...However, if this has something to do with Orochimaru...I'd be more than willing to talk...".

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

He continued to explore his thoughts, however tiresome they may be. Sakura had finished mumbling to himself, which meant he had nothing to listen to. Which was okay, really. He didn't want anyone else's company. Of course, today he hadn't been getting much of anything that he wanted. His eyes narrowed as a person came into sight. The Uchiha was smirking, and he looked _oh so _pleased. _If he comes over here.._

"Hmph. Kabuto san. What may I ask are you doing sitting pathetically in front of Sakura chan's door, ne? I've come to take her off of your hands. Orochimaru cleared it.."

At first, he was simply angry for being called pathetic. However, he had an easy way to fix that situation. He could simply make up a story, it didn't even have to be in depth. He wasn't usually one to lie, but he didn't mind so much with him. But then, one sentence left him stunned into silence. That's all it took. He barely heard Sakura's outburst and the last thing on his mind was that his cover was blown. He blinked a couple times, being forced to look up at the Uchiha. Each word slowly rang in his head. _No, he's lying. Orochimaru would never have agreed. I'm fully capable._ he told himself, however the boys eyes didn't seem to lie. They were full of amusement and pride at winning _his_ Sakura. Seeing that look in his eyes is when it truly hit him. It didn't just give him a tap, or a push, it knocked the breath out of him.

"Move aside, Kabu-" his now greatest enemy began to say. However, he didn't get to finish. In the blink of an eye, he jumped up on his feet and put all of his weight and strength against him, pushing him against the opposite wall. Hard. Sasuke's back bounced off of the cold cave wall as he had one pushing into his chest, the other pressing a chakra blade against his neck. His eyes burned with pure fury and stray hairs landed in front of his face.

**"You're lying"** he accused, although he knew that wasn't true. **"Orochimaru knows full well I'm capable."** He was so enraged that he even dropped the sama.

He pressed deeper into his neck, wanting to watch every ounce of his blood spill from his pathetic body. **"You wont be taking her. I'll kill you before that happens. She's mine. Do you understand me? She's mine and she will never be yours! You had your chance a long time ago. All the trouble we went through, taking you from Konaha. It wasn't worth it. He could have had my body, you know. But no, he wanted yours. Your eyes are so special, aren't they? Without them, you'd be nothing. The one good thing about bringing you here is that you didn't get your filthy hands on her and now she's mine and you never will!"**

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

He watched them silently as they discussed whether or not Naruto could come out of hiding. It was a silly thing to discuss, honestly. If he were here to fight, he already knew where the boy was. However, he wasn't here to fight. Naruto was probably his only hope in saving Sasuke, and he was not about to ruin that.

"What exactly did you want to talk about..? If you're trying to get to Naruto, I'm afraid that I cannot allow that...However, if this has something to do with Orochimaru...I'd be more than willing to talk...".

**"Why are you searching for Orochimaru?"** he asked, straight to the point. After a moments hesitation, he turned towards the bush where Naruto was in. Although he respected Kakashi, he wanted an answer to his question from Naruto. **"Is this about Sasuke?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sasuke**

* * *

"You're lying. Orochimaru knows full well I'm capable.".

**"What on earth have I to gain by lying?"** The young male smirked rather noticeably. That was the second time someone had used something against him that he had said a long while ago.

The raven's voice and even posture was taunting. Everything about him just radiated amusement and the fact that he was gloating pretty hardcore. Uchiha Sasuke was soon backed into the sharp wall behind him. One hand was used to shove him against it harder and keep him pinned there while the other was used to put a chakra blade to his exposed neck.

**"If you were more than capable, he wouldn't have allowed me to take her off of your hands.."** That wasn't entirely true. Sasuke was just toying with Kabuto's head because he got such a great amusement out of it.

"You wont be taking her. I'll kill you before that happens. She's mine. Do you understand me? She's mine and she will never be yours! You had your chance a long time ago. All the trouble we went through, taking you from Konaha. It wasn't worth it. He could have had my body, you know. But no, he wanted yours. Your eyes are so special, aren't they? Without them, you'd be nothing. The one good thing about bringing you here is that you didn't get your filthy hands on her and now she's mine and you never will!"

And that was when Sasuke noticed something. A very wicked grin outlined his features and he started laughing, an evil twinge to the amusement managed to sneak in.

**"This is just priceless. Suddenly caring about Sakura chan, are we? There are two things that makes your statement untrue. They are that you would never be able to kill me, even in your wildest imagination, and that Sakura chan has been trying to get with me since we were kids...She'd very easily choose me over you.."** _And even if she doesn't, it doesn't matter. I still win._ **"Go ahead and try to kill me if you'd like, demo, I'll be getting to Sakura chan whether you like it or not."**

The sharingan was soon apparent in the young man's eyes and he couldn't suppress a bit more laughter.

**"You spoke of my eyes being special. They must be if everyone wants them...And you almost sound jealous that Orochimaru wants my body instead of yours. Maybe because he knows mine is more capable..."**

The taunting did stop for just a small second and the Uchiha became very serious.

**"You have three seconds to move before I cut you down myself..."****.**

_[ When I say that I was amused by Kabuto san's sudden outburst of sorts, let me be clear on the fact that that is a __**severe**__ understatement. It took everything in me to contain my laughter, and even then, I ultimately failed. So precious. Kabuto san was protecting Sakura chan like she was important to him. Priceless. Wait till Orochimaru saw this. I was going to enjoy it oh oh so much when the snake sanin told his right hand man that he had to kill the young kunoichi. Wouldn't that be fun? As I had said before, __Checkmate__.. ]_.

Sakura.

_[I watched with widened emerald orbs as Kabuto pinned Sasuke kun up against the wall. There was a crack in the door that I could see through, and I heard noises. I mean, what did you expect me to do, sit there and wonder what was going on? Nope. I watched all of it. I heard Kabuto's words and they surprised and confused me. I didn't know whether or not to think he was still just toying with my head or if he actually did somehow care about me. At the time, I managed to push that ridiculous thought away, well, at least at the time I thought it ridiculous. I have to admit, watching Kabuto get so angry was something I thought I'd never see. All I could think as I stared with my jaw dropping to the floor was that I did __**not**__ want to go with Sasuke kun and that I could have escaped had the door been unlocked... ]_.

_Shimata! If he'd just been not in his right mind long enough to leave the door unlocked, I could so be out of here by now! Both of them are plenty distracted and far too concerned with kicking the other one's ass! Shanarou!_ The pink haired kunoichi narrowed her angry emerald hues as she continued to watch the boys go at each other. Sasuke was doing mental blows while Kabuto seemed to be content with threatening him. The sharingan was something she was worried about, but Sakura ignored it and focused on trying to bust the door down. _This. Officially. Sucks. It's so perfect! I planned on pitting them against each other like this, but not when the damn door was locked! Ugh! My plan is ruined..._.

The angry young woman sat back and let out a deep sigh. She thought of yelling at them both, but that would do her no good. Mumbling to herself, she mentally moved a few more chess pieces and went back to the drawing boards of her mind. She had to think of something fast.. If Sasuke managed to get to that door, she was so doomed.

Naruto.

The older male stepped back as he noticed that Itachi really did want to speak with Naruto. He didn't know what it was about, but figured if he were going to attack, he would have already. Kakashi kept close, but allowed the young blond to emerge from the bushes, which he did very shortly after receiving an approving nod. **"Why are you searching for Orochimaru? Is this about Sasuke?"** Itachi was very much to the point. Clearly, he was thinking that Naruto was after his younger brother in an attempt to bring him home to Konoha. To be fair, that was normally why Naruto went anywhere near Orochimaru's lair, but this time, it was different.

"Yes and no..." he explained, clearing his throat and looking rather worried. "I do want to get Sasuke teme back, demo, Sakura chan is in danger. Orochimaru said if I didn't come alone to get her, she'd be killed.".

"Which is very obviously a trap.." Kakashi cut in, letting out a small sigh. "Demo, that's why I'm here. I want to make sure that Naruto stays safe.." _What is he doing..? It's a bit curious that he doesn't want to fight...Isn't he supposed to be after Naruto..? I'd better stay close, regardless of what his actions tell me._

Naruto nodded in response to Kakashi's statement. "Yeah, so, this time, it's just to get Sakura chan...Demo, if I manage to see Sasuke teme, I'll bring him back as well." The young man grinned childishly and rubbed the back of his head, staring up at the older Uchiha noticing the resemblance. "Demo, why did you want to know about Orochimaru..?".

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"What on earth have I to gain by lying?"

Kabuto's eyes narrowed even more, his iron grip tightening further. The Uchiha thought he was _so_ clever, using his own words against him. The smirk on Sasuke's face continued to grow as he realized the affect gloating had on him. Now annoyed and furious, he pushed him against the wall harder, willing every bone in the boy's body to snap. Of course, it wasn't meant to be. He listened, internally draining the crimson blood from his body, as his abilities were insulted.

The more Kabuto spoke, the more enjoyment emerged from the Uchiha's face. His eyes sparkled with devilish amusement and he laughed as if this was one of the funniest things he had ever seen. This got on Kabuto's nerves more than anything else..except the words that spilled out from his mouth next.

"This is just priceless. Suddenly caring about Sakura chan, are we? There are two things that makes your statement untrue. They are that you would never be able to kill me, even in your wildest imagination, and that Sakura chan has been trying to get with me since we were kids...She'd very easily choose me over you.."

**"You want her, just like I do. Don't accuse me of caring. They're two very different things, and perhaps if you knew how to use that half empty brain of yours you would realize that."** he hissed, so tempted to kill him right where he stood. **"I could kill you right now. I should kill you right now. Perhaps I will."**

He said nothing about his second statement. He had already known her feelings towards him, but they seemed to be in the past now. Not that it concerned him, of course. He couldn't care less if she wanted to be with him or not, because what she wanted didn't matter to him. However, he still held on to the small hope that she wouldn't choose the impolite, ignorant, vengeful brat over him. It wasn't as if she would have the chance to choose, though.

He was persuaded further to try and kill Sasuke and told that Sakura would be taken from him no matter what, when the dark eyes transformed into the bright red of the sharingan. He dared to laugh some more, obviously failing in trying to hide it. Kabuto didn't like to be laughed at, especially by someone like him. But at the suggestion of him being pathetic enough to feel jealous, it was his turn to chuckle.

**"You think I could possibly be jealous of you? No. I simply disagree with Orochimaru's decision. There are other ways of gaining ****power**** without dealing with someone like **_**you."**_

The taunting was over for now. Things became a bit more serious, and the killing intent radiated off of both of them. Sadly, he couldn't kill Sasuke. He didn't mean that his strength was lacking, although facing the sharingan would be tough, but that Orochimaru would be very displeased. _Although I am displeased with you, Orochimaru. _

"You have three seconds to move before I cut you down myself...". The Uchiha threatened darkly.

Oh, he would move. But he wouldn't be moving out of the way. Using his hand that wasn't restraining the boy, he swung back and attempted to punch him right in the face, willing it to be deformed, broken, and mashed on the wall like a dumpling. He then jumped back, his body slamming against the door and unknowningly hitting the girl on the other side and blocking her view. Whether his fist made contact or not didn't really matter to him, because it was more than just an attack. It was him saying 'I'm not backing down'. He pulled a kunai out to defend himself, clenching his teeth in anger. This wasn't going to end any time soon. Or at least, that was what he thought. He was fully prepared to fight until they were both bloody, until a tall figure appeared. That tall figure was laughing evilly, and he recognized the voice instantly. His grip on the weapon tightened in anger, because this was one of the worst possible times for him to come.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

"Heh heh heh.. I had a feeling you would be unhappy, Kabuto, but I never expected this. Fighting over a toy? How childish.." he stated, remembering Sasuke's words earlier about how he was too 'soft'. "At least this toy is useful. As I'm sure Sasuke mentioned, I told him to take her for awhile. You could use the break, hm?"

He was surprised to see that Kabuto had gone so far as to take a fighting stance. His right hand man was planning on attacking that future beautiful body of his. With the beautiful sharingan. He curiously watched him, expecting an answer, but got none. Orochimaru wasn't a patient man. He couldn't read thoughts, but he took his lack of action as a hesitation.

"I need you for other things, Kabuto."

He still looked prepared to fight, and disrespectfully did not turn to meet the serpents eyes. _How very unlike him.._

**"I am fully capable of handling the girl."** he said finally, but Orochimaru was displeased by his response.

"Are you defying me?"

For a moment, he seemed to be searching for an answer, but that moment soon passed and he finally responded **"No, of course not Orochimaru sama."**

He smirked. "Good. Now come with me."

He felt a moments hesitation once more. He was about to snap, when he finally did speak. Not that he particularly liked what he said.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

This was bad, but not just because Sasuke was getting his way. There was something else, something that was worse. **"I have some unfinished business with the kunoichi. I apologize, orochimaru sama, but Sasuke had rudely interrupted and I had acted rashly. He can have her, however there's something I'd like to do first. May I meet up with you later?"** He asked politely. If he was denied, he may be in huge trouble later.

Kabuto watched as the man considered his words, and surprisingly he started to laugh. It wasn't humorous. "You're becoming brave, Kabuto. But go ahead. I don't particularly care either way." he replied, turning to walk away.

When Orochimaru was gone, he turned to the door and completely ignored Sasukes presence as he unlocked the door and walk in. He stared at her for several seconds in silence, before speaking. His voice was quiet.

**"Where is the book? If you don't hand it to me, I will have to tear this place apart. Because if its in here, Sasuke will likely find it You may not believe me, but that is one of the last things you want. There are classified things in there, even to him. Especially to him. So I will ask you nicely once more. Where is it?"**

A conflicted look appeared in his eyes. He should be hiding it, in fact he should pretend like he was nothing but pleased with this course of action. He shouldn't care. Like Orochimaru said, so much fuss over a toy. But she was his toy. He wanted her, and he didn't want anyone else to have her. The thought of him touching her, hurting her..and whatever else he would do..disgusted him. But why? Why did this possession have a hold over him that none of the others ever did? He let out a very small sigh, lifting her chin up firmly so she couldn't look away. **"He wont have you for long. You're mine, don't forget that."**

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

"I do want to get Sasuke teme back, demo, Sakura chan is in danger. Orochimaru said if I didn't come alone to get her, she'd be killed."

_Ah._ This made sense. It seemed he was correct in thinking this had little to do with Sasuke. Orochimaru had stolen his brother and naruto's childhood friend in order to lure the nine tails, and eventually akatsuki, right to his hideout. But now..what was his course of action? He could avoid the whole situation, however there was no good way to explain this to Kisame. He had tried very hard the past few years to not tell his partner too much, despite trusting him more than anyone else. If Kisame knew with certainty that he had come into contact with the nine tails and had not fought, word could easily return to Leader whether his friend wanted it to or not.

_It seemed I have no choice but to knowingly fall into this trap. I suppose at the very least, it will fuel Sasuke's purpose.._ he thought, not allowing emotion to appear, even in his thoughts.

""Demo, why did you want to know about Orochimaru..?" Naruto questioned him.

It was better that Naruto be left in the dark. He turned around, ready to return to his partner. **"I am certain you will do your best, Naruto."** he assured, moving up to full speed in the blink of an eye as he took off.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura listened intently to every word that flew from Kabuto and Sasuke's mouths. She stared through the crack in the door becoming more and more surprised by the minute. The young woman wondered to herself just what exactly was going on. Why were the two in such a frenzy? Clearly, they only talked about her like she were a possession, but Sakura wanted to know why, if that were the case, were they so intent on defeating the other one just to get to her. Kabuto's words snapped the girl out of her thoughts and she shook her head of her previous pondering to watch and listen. "You want her, just like I do. Don't accuse me of caring. They're two very different things, and perhaps if you knew how to use that half empty brain of yours you would realize that. I could kill you right now. I should kill you right now. Perhaps I will.".

Now she was beginning to get irked. Obviously, she was a girl. A human being. But here two men were talking about her like she wasn't. Out of sheer annoyance, emerald orbs took turns twitching as the inner anger started to heat up. It had not yet boiled over, oh no, far too soon for that. The kunoichi was patient enough to let things slide if something else quickly happened after word to sate her utter irritation.

Sasuke accused the silver haired man of being jealous that Orochimaru chose the Uchiha over him. Sakura rolled her eyes. _Big ego and a thick skull, as always...Sasuke kun..._ she thought to herself, pulling back for a small moment to rub her itching nose. Wood could be very itchy when one leaned against it for too long, you see. "You think I could possibly be jealous of you? No. I simply disagree with Orochimaru's decision. There are other ways of gaining power without dealing with someone like you." _Clearly, Kabuto san disagrees with Sasuke kun's words...Oh Kami...Are they going to sit there and bicker all day? Go on. Have at it. At least I __**would**__ be saying that if the damn door was open...I still haven't thought of another escape plan...though I suppose I do have a few days..I promised I wouldn't run away...demo, why did I do that...? I owe him nothing and he is holding me here against my will...And Sasuke kun is a bit scary...At least, he would be if I had to go with him...Which I hope I do-OW!_ The kunoichi jumped back as Kabuto came flying backward into the door. Her nose had gotten squished and was in a lot of pain. **"Itaii, itaii...Kami that hurts.."** she mumbled, wondering what was going on. She'd been so lost in thought that she'd not heard Sasuke's groan of pain. **"N-Nani?"**.

Sakura did not get the chance to figure out what had happened because pretty soon, there was a third person in the mix. The laughter as well as the voice sent chills up the young woman's spine and she shivered involuntarily, pulling back for a small moment in the hopes of not being seen. "Heh heh heh.. I had a feeling you would be unhappy, Kabuto, but I never expected this. Fighting over a toy? How childish..At least this toy is useful. As I'm sure Sasuke mentioned, I told him to take her for awhile. You could use the break, hm?" _...If one more person refers to me as a possession or a toy...I am going to lose it..._ Emerald eyes twitched but anger was soon sated by fear and sadness. Sakura's heart sank into her stomach as those words sunk in. It soon made her realize that she really did not have much of a choice, or really one at all in this situation. _Oh Kami, no...I don't want to go with Sasuke kun...I really don't...I'd rather deal with Kabuto ku-...Kabuto san...for the rest of my life than have to be stuck under __**his**__ care...True, he's awful...demo at least he's not as scary..._.

"I need you for other things, Kabuto." Silence. A long pause. Then more words. "I am fully capable of handling the girl." Sakura rubbed her sore nose and tried to focus. What was going on? Was Kabuto actually **not** listening to Orochimaru? This peaked her interest. _Kami, just what is going on...?_.

"Are you defying me?" More contemplating. More of a pause. "No, of course not Orochimaru sama." "Good. Now come with me." The young woman's heart sank even further into the depths of her stomach. She felt like she was going to be sick. _Shimata, shimata, shimata! Sasuke kun is going to come in here any second...Oh hell..._ She even went so far as to concentrate her chakra waves into her feet and stick them to the floor. _No way. I'm not budging. You'll have to break my legs...Which I'm sure you will...On second thought..._ The hold on the floor was released before she did it again. _Nope. Still worth it..._ Then, there was a bit of a surprise. "I have some unfinished business with the kunoichi. I apologize, orochimaru sama, but Sasuke had rudely interrupted and I had acted rashly. He can have her, however there's something I'd like to do first. May I meet up with you later?" _Great...So I get to deal with him for another minute or so before he let's Sasuke kun have me...This is not my day...First my plan backfires, now this..._.

"You're becoming brave, Kabuto. But go ahead. I don't particularly care either way.".

Orochimaru was soon gone. Sakura could hear his footsteps as the echo got quieter and quieter until it was nonexistent. Before she could pull back all of the way though, the door opened. Half expecting to see Sasuke, she jumped back, a squeak escaping her as she landed on the bed and backed very far up into the wall. Seeing it was only Kabuto though, she relaxed, well, a bit anyway.

"Where is the book?" He asked. "If you don't hand it to me, I will have to tear this place apart. Because if its in here, Sasuke will likely find it You may not believe me, but that is one of the last things you want. There are classified things in there, even to him. Especially to him. So I will ask you nicely once more. Where is it?"

The kunoichi pondered his words. He wanted something from her. He needed it. For a long moment, Sakura pondered on whether or not to give him the book. **"You won't find it..."** she said simply, mimicking his quiet voice.

For a moment or two, it almost seemed like she wasn't going to give him the book, but then she even surprised herself. Undoing her shirt just enough to reach her hand in, the young woman pulled out a black book and handed it to him. **"I will be needing this back..."** were her words as a small smile tugged at her lips. However, she soon wiped it away and forced herself to be serious. **"The only reason I am giving you this now is out of sheer spite. I don't want Sasuke kun to get his hands on this...So here..."**

With that, she closed her shirt back up and leaned back. No sooner had she leaned back before she heard a small sigh and felt her chin being very forcefully pushed upward. Emerald green soon met deep onyx. She tried to pull away and look elsewhere, but to no avail. Hearing only one very oddly reassuring thing. "He wont have you for long. You're mine, don't forget that.".

Sakura stared into Kabuto's onyx eyes for a moment, listening to his words and blinking several times before simply shoving his hand away from her. **"I most certainly am not 'yours'..demo..I do hope I'm not with Sasuke kun for long..."** For a moment, it surprised even her that she was willing to share that kind of information with him. Still, in times of fear, one could be weak. As much as she hated to admit it, she had a moment of weakness. _It won't be happening again..._.

_[ It was very oddly reassuring because I was most definitely not going to admit to being owned like a possession by anyone, much less him. However, the fact that I would not be with Sasuke kun for very long was a rather large relief. My head was pounding. Dull thumping in my chest made it apparent that my cheeks were a slight tinge of pink. It felt very odd to be handled in such a way by another person. Obviously, no one else dared to do such a thing to me. Still, things were getting very interesting. Ano..I won't go into detail about what happened with me and Sasuke kun. That is still sometimes very painful to discuss... ]_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_[ When I say I was pissed off at the fact that I'd been blinded by my victory enough for that damn Kabuto to get in a punch on me, that is not even close to the right word. That silver haired teme made me bleed. He didn't just make me bleed, he broke my nose. I now knew the first thing Sakura would be doing in my 'care.' I was even mad that Orochimaru had to go and interrupt when I was about to teach the man a lesson. Oh, he may not have known it, but I was planning on doing a lot more to Sakura chan than originally, because he pissed me off...And I knew it would make him angry to see that someone else had harmed __**his**__ toy. ]_.

"I want her? I want to toy with her and her fragile mind...Demo if you really don't care for her, why get so defensive, hn? It's not an accusation if it's simply an observation.."

Uchiha Sasuke growled in pain as the punch came into collide with his surprisingly sensitive nose.

**"Teme..."** he snarled, reaching for his sword and preparing to attack.

Kabuto was in a fighting stance, and this intrigued the young man. _Hmph...All of this over Sakura chan...? Pathetic...You can say you don't care about her all you want, but no one is so possessive of a 'toy' that they are willing to fight like this...I can see it in his eyes..He really does mean to kill me.._ An evil and taunting smirk formed at the edge of his lips. _Perfect.._ The young Uchiha ignored the fact that Orochimaru was even there. The only time he even acknowledged him was when he stated that Sasuke indeed was allowed to go in and take Sakura with him. As Kabuto made the excuse that he still had 'unfinished' business, the boy made a sort of 'Tch' sound and leaned against the wall.

"Go ahead. Demo, do hurry. It's my turn to play with the toy a little.." His smirk widened because he knew it would get under the silver haired male's skin, but he also said it to strike fear into Sakura, which it did.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

**"I'm certain that you will do your best, Naruto."** Itachi soon sped off in the direction of his partner.

"Oi, matte! Itachi san, you didn't answer my question! Dattebayo!" Naruto pouted after calling the man and not getting a response. "What do we do, Kakashi sensei..?" He questioned his teacher.

The older man sighed as he leaned against the tree. _Naruto is reckless...If I let him go in there throwing fists and making threats, Sakura chan might die...Demo...If we stay out here and do nothing, she might still die...We have to consider all of the possibilities..._

"Oi, Kakashi sensei! Dattebayo! You there?" Naruto was waving his hand in front of his teacher's face with a concerned and questioning expression.

"Gomen." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head nervously and glanced toward the place he suspected was the Sound's hideout. "Naruto, if I let you go in there, you have to promise that you won't do anything reckless...This is not a game...Sakura chan really could die...".

The realization of this hit the blond boy hard. He swallowed a lump in his throat and followed Kakashi's eyes so he could look at what he saw. "Is that the hideout..?"

"I believe so.."

"I'll be back soon, Kakashi sensei! You can count on me!" With that, Naruto 'stealthily' ran off in the direction of the cave. Kakashi stayed close by, but was very worried. _This has 'bad idea' written all over it..._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto's sudden entrance surprised Sakura, making her jump back and squeal in a mixture of fear and anger. He watched as her eyes slowly landed on him, and then her body relaxed. It almost seemed like she was relieved to see him, which didn't make sense. _It would make more sense for her to hate me and look at me in disgust rather than thankfulness._ He pondered, before realizing why she was acting this way. _I see. She was expecting Sasuke. Of course she could hear everything that had happened. That look in her eyes..she seemed very afraid._

After politely asking for the book, he expected her to immediately deny his request. However, instead she was silent. He wondered if she was considering it.

"You won't find it..." she assured, thereby vanquishing any hope of her cooperation. His eyes narrowed in anger. _Why must she make everything so difficult?_ He began glancing around, trying to figure out where it was, when she started to undo her shirt. His attention immediately drew to her and he blinked a couple times, clearly confused. When she reached in behind her shirt, he wasn't exactly sure what to expect. And the book that popped into view was definitely unexpected. He watched her reach out to him with it, and he realized that she was actually giving it to him. "I will be needing this back..."

Her words brought humor to his eyes, and a small grin lurked on his lips. Even now she was playing right back with him. It seemed she wasn't about to admit defeat. He reached out and took the book from her. Even if she was temporarily the Uchiha's..their fun wasn't finished yet. **"It seems you're sacrificing your queen. A mere pawn has just given up her most practical piece."** he stated, chuckling a bit. However, when his laughter disappeared, a series look crossed is face. He was lost in his thoughts for only a moment, but in that moment many emotions passed his eyes. He was confused, angry, annoyed, and just a little bit of something else.

**"Thank you"** he said finally. He knew how to be polite, after all. He didn't expect the same in return, however for some reason he felt obligated to say this.

"The only reason I am giving you this now is out of sheer spite. I don't want Sasuke kun to get his hands on this...So here..." she explained, and his words made him realize something. She truly did not want Sasuke to have her. She gave him the book because although he was her enemy, although Sasuke was her childhood friend, she preferred him. He didn't understand why, and he didn't ask. He simply took it to mean that she liked him more than the uchiha brat, that he was _better_ than him. He refused to let this go to his head, although considering it was the first time he had ever been seen as superior to another, it was rather hard to not be pleased.

She was his, and he claimed her as such. And, as expected of the interesting pink haired woman in front of him, she retaliated to his touch. "I most certainly am not 'yours'..demo..I do hope I'm not with Sasuke kun for long..."

Her words only proved his thoughts to be true. She really did like him more than sasuke. And the tone of her words..she seemed reassured, as if she couldn't wait to be back under his control. Although he knew that was only because the alternative to him was much worse, this pleased him. _Finally, someone other than Orochimaru tolerates me._ he thought, then realized how pathetic his thoughts sounded. _Not that I care._ he added on, assuring that he in fact did not care what she thought of him.

_{Heh, I could be very clueless back then. I still can be. I suppose you couldn't expect me to realize and accept what I was beginning to feel. I believe you were beginning to feel it too, although neither of us knew it at the time. All I could think was that I liked this new toy of mine. I still do. Although now, of course, you're only my toy every couple of nights.}_

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

He had caught up to Kisame quickly. As he had expected, his friend had no questions and acted as if nothing happened. Kisame was intelligent and understood why Itachi remained silent, although neither of them talked about it specifically out loud. The trust the two had for one another was strong.

"It shouldn't be much longer until we arrive, no more than a day" Kisame stated, looking straight ahead.

**"Hai."**

_Sasuke..I apologize for doing this to you. _he said to himself, knowing he could never say this until his last, dying breath. He know his little brother would refuse to forgive him, and it would pain him too much to hear.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

He had left the room without a goodbye. He didn't know the words to say, he wasn't sure it was appropriate, and he felt as if his declaration that he would be back soon was enough. He simply stared into her eyes deeply for a moment, then turned around and stepped outside with his book to see Sasuke, ready and waiting. His eyes narrowed in disgust at first, until he saw his broken nose. He couldn't hold back the laughter that poured from his lips.

**"You look more pathetic than I thought possible"** he said, pushing up his glasses. **"Really, Uchiha, the look suits you. A Bloody and battered broken nose. I'd try the style, but for some reason I don't think it would look quite right on me."**

He walked away, a smirk plastered on his face, and went to go join orochimaru with little clue as to what he was needed for.

He had walked out of the snake like mans office, not sure how he should feel. Naruto was coming and he would be here soon. The akatsuki wouldn't be far behind.

_**"May I ask what will happen to our captive?"**_ _Kabuto had asked._

_"Why are you so invested in this girl, Kabuto? It is very unlike you, especially because it has affected your devotion and work to our cause. "_

_**"My apologies, Orochimaru sama. She is simply one of the hardest prisoners to break and I am determined to have my way with this one. "**_

_"Ah, well I suppose we will have to keep her around until you do, since you seem to be enjoying yourself so much._

_{ There was no way for me to know, at the time, that Orochimaru had been lying. I should have expected it. But I wonder, even if I had known what his intentions were, would it have changed anything? I don't think so. I would have told myself that I could do it, until the very end when I had no choice but not to. But at least you know now that I could never let you die. My feelings made things more..difficult..and ruined a lot of things for me. But you're worth it, Sakura. }_


	19. Chapter 19

**Sakura**

* * *

"It seems you're sacrificing your queen. A mere pawn has just given up her most practical piece." Kabuto chuckled slightly and Sakura stared up at him as she pondered what he'd said for a brief moment. After some time, she nodded to herself as if in agreement about something. **"A pawn has not the power to sacrifice a queen, ne, Kabuto san?"** she began, mischief clearly in her emerald gaze. **"Besides, what do I care if my queen gets captured for a bit? As long as I get her back, and I intend to, the game lives on. Also, as long as my King remains in tact, I still win."** She was back to toying with him. She couldn't help it. The pleasure that this young woman felt by holding the ability to confuse the silver haired boy was all too obvious. Even in the face of her immense fear, Haruno Sakura still managed to have her small bit of fun.

The girl knew very well their game was not yet over, nor their fun, but it did not surprise her when all the young man did was stare at her after thanking her for the book and turning on his heels to leave. She did not feel sadness. That was not quite the right word. However, she soon felt empty because she knew what was coming. Outside she could hear small laughter and an angry Sasuke. That was **very** bad news for her. Just to get back at him for not saying anything, she laughed and waved to him like it was a shame to see him go, though it was not. Kind of, anyway. **"Later four eyes!"** she called after him, now content with herself as she leaned back and awaited the inevitable. It was still a thought to implant her feet on the ground, but in the end, she did not do it.

_[ I don't know what I was expecting, and yet I do. Sasuke kun came in shortly after Kabuto had upset him with something about his broken nose being fitting. I definitely agreed, though I'd never admit it at the time. I was taken back to Sasuke's room after a lot of pointless bickering and refusing. It resulted in my first 'punishment' of sorts. A broken arm. Ugh. I really wanted to go back and just sit in silence while I awaited Kabuto san's return. This. Sucked. ] _

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

"You look more pathetic than I thought possible. Really, Uchiha, the look suits you. A Bloody and battered broken nose. I'd try the style, but for some reason I don't think it would look quite right on me." Oh those words irked him. The Uchiha male darkly narrowed his now onyx eyes in anger at the silver haired four eyes. Sasuke. Was. Very. Pissed. Off. Not a good thing. "And I suppose that you think you won't pay for this? Just wait, Kabuto.." The young man's tone was threatening and yet held a certain promise to it. "I'll deal with you later..For now, I have Sakura chan to attend to.." And with that, he walked past Kabuto and stood in the doorway, boring his gaze into the young woman's clearly frightened irises.

"Get up, Sakura chan.." he demanded, narrowing his eyes so as to scare her further. He was not in the mood to joke around, especially since Kabuto had managed to make him mad. No, wait, that's not the right word. Livid is more appropriate. **"N-Nai.."** Sakura sat on her bed and shook her head in defiance. **"Gomen, Sasuke kun...demo...nai.."** Oh he was mad. Sasuke simply rolled his eyes and, in one swift movement, bent her same arm that had just almost healed so that it made a very sick snapping sound. This of course caused the young woman to cry out in pain and the young man picked her up, putting him over his shoulder and carrying her to his room. "This seems rather familiar, ne, Sakura chan?" he said in a teasing tone of voice.

Obviously, it was familiar. Sakura remembered their previous encounter where this same thing had happened and she bit her lip trying to will away the pain of her arm. Unfortunately, that was not to be the end of it.

As they arrived, Sakura was very rudely dropped onto the ground where she let out a sort of squeak from landing on her leg awkwardly. Now it hurt and there was sure to be a bruise there, well, there would have been had what happened not taken place. All that needs to be known is that Uchiha Sasuke had a very wicked grin on his face as the door closed behind them and not too long after, there was screaming.

_[ I am very aware that I acted very despicably. Sakura chan should never have forgiven me, although she did come to do so in time. She won't talk about the endeavors of that day and I won't tell you much more than she would. I'll tell you this just to satisfy your curiosity. Leave the rest to your imagination, as it's probably much kinder than what really happened. The one arm I had already broken, I broke in a second place. The bones in her legs, I also did a lot of damage to. In the heat of her torture, I even went so far as to give her what she'd always wanted. Of course, at the time, I knew she no longer wanted any kind of romantic affairs, demo I did it anyway. Mostly, it was a way of muffling her loud screaming. I knew Kabuto was going to be mad and that was why I did it. Well, partly. The other part was that in a very sick way, I loved hearing her scream. ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto now had the time on his hands to visit all of the unruly, insignificant prisoners being held in disgusting cell chambers and caged like the filthy animals they were. But they were of little amusement to him now. As he slashed at their thin skin and threatened them until they were screaming and begging for it to stop, all he could think was that they did not have the defiant sparkle in their eyes that _she_ words did not bite at his fury, in fact he felt no anger at all. They were too simple and offered no challenge to him. Before, he rather enjoyed toying with a man's emotions. Now it provided nothing. What was the point of hacking a man to pieces, if that man was so ready to give up?

Afterwords, his analytical, calculated fingers proceeded to combine various ingredients in very specific amounts, intending to create enough of his special medication for the sickly Orochimaru to ingest over a continuous period of time until he had his hands on _him._ He could only hope it was soon. He wanted that person gone from their lives. Oh, how he hated the Uchiha. His only regret was that he would not be able to physically defeat the boy, spill his blood, and torture him until he was brought to begging tears. He was the one male left who he would feel immense joy after inflicting pain to, over and over and over again. It was unlikely he would receive this opportunity, much to his dismay.

When he was finished with both of these tasks, he considered returning to his bed and sleep the day away. He hadn't gotten much sleep lately, although he had grown accustomed. However, something was pulling him in the opposite direction. This _pull_ was rather inconvenient, because he had no choice but to follow it. His body and mind willed him to. At first, he had no clue where he was going, however when he was 3/4 of the way there, he knew. His feet were bringing him to the Uchiha brat whom he despised. He didn't want to see his face, because if he did he may just break that nose of his all over again. Just before arriving to his door, however, he heard noises on the other end that seemed to be approaching. He hid down another nearby hallway, watching intently. Sasuke emerged, carrying with him..a very injured and very much suffering Sakura.

Although tempted to jump out, his rational side knew much better. That would be a silly, useless move. Instead, he quietly trailed behind. At one point, when Sakura had turned around, he had sworn she spotted him. However, if she did, she said nothing. He followed as they continued to walk, before arriving at her room. The room he gave her when she first arrived, and the room she had been dragged from and tortured badly.

_How far did he go? He has no respect of the fact that she is mine._ he thought, his eyes narrowing in rage. He swung her door open and tossed her aside. Although a distance away, he could hear a gasp and painful thud. He watched and waited, holding back every temptation in his body to attack the boy and make him pay for hurting _his_ toy. After slamming the door shut, the boy didn't so much as look back at the room as he walked away. And after he was gone long enough, Kabuto appeared out of the dark hallway and approached the door.

He stared at it a moment. Should he go in? He heard a soft, pitiful noise on the other side, and knew that whether or not he should, he would. His hand reached out for the knob, almost on instinct, and turned as he pushed inward. The door slowly crept open, and he refused to look at her until he was inside and behind the closed door. And when he did, he almost let out a gasp.

Her arm that had been previously injured twice..was injured a third time. This time was the worse. Her legs were so badly broken and damaged, he doubted she could stand at the moment. She was on the floor, leaning against the bed. The pitiful noise he had heard on the other side was nothing compared to how pitiful she looked. If he didn't have a conscience, he would have laughed. If she were any of his other prisoners, he wouldn't have hesitated in continuing the fun with her. But the fact was, although he didn't like it, she was more than that. And seeing her like this, knowing he was the one who unwillingly handed her off to Sasuke, made him feel almost..guilty. _almost._ Still, at the very least looking at her was hard in the state she was in. He slowly approached her and wrapped both arms around her waist, picking her up without touching her worst injuries, and placed her on the bed. He wasn't trying to be all sentimental and caring, he just felt compelled to do _something._ He sat beside her, and when he looked over at her he noticed something. Her lips were swollen. His eyes widened slightly. He realized it was the least of her problems, but noticing it made him tense. _Sasuke actually kissed her. That is one of the most disgusting images I could ever have in my head. _he thought, angrier than he should have been. And then he became even angrier, at himself this time, for even caring. He was sick of caring about anything. But for some reason, he couldn't look at her like this. He reached over and ran his thumb against her lip, closing his eyes in both disgust at what Sasuke had done to what was his, and disgust at himself for bothering to help or care. Healing chakra pulsed through his finger, relieving the swelling until there was no evidence that she had been roughly and disturbingly kissed by that Uchiha.

He glanced away, sighing. He clenched his teeth in anger and his fist curled up slightly. Why did he get the urge to help her? Why should he bother? Why couldn't he just continue the torture. She was probably so emotionally and physically injured that if he pushed her sensitivities just right, he could probably break her. But he didn't want to. _I want to break her myself, not with the help of that boy_ he told himself.


	20. Chapter 20

**Sakura**

* * *

The very injured young woman hit the cold, hard floor with a thud. A small squeak of pain was her only reply as she lay against the bed and healing chakra made its way, slowly but surely to her one uninjured hand. Other than her occasional twitching or pained squeaks, Haruno Sakura was silent. _Kami, that was worse than I ever could have imagined..._ she thought, cringing again at the pain in her very badly messed up legs. She shifted if only in an attempt to make it more comfortable, but to no avail. With a small sigh, the pink haired kunoichi slowly began to mend her arm that had been now broken for a third time. Within a minute or so, it started to feel much better, but was super uncomfortable. _What a time to actually want medicine.._ she thought, rolling her eyes a little at herself. _I'm so damn pathetic...Kami this hurts..._.

Soon after the young woman had begun to heal herself, there was a turn of the knob on the door. Halfway expecting to see Sasuke again, fear coursed through her and she tried to slide back, resulting in another pained noise. _Shimata!_ she cursed mentally, angry with herself once more for being so pathetic. However, relief did not fill her as she saw Kabuto's face appear soon after in the doorway. Sakura did not look at him at first. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to. Glancing at the wall, she allowed her healing chakra to fade, shifting her torso once more to make her legs get out of their awkward position.

The feeling seemed mutual as Kabuto did not say a word. The young man simply picked her up by her waist and set her on the bed. She was grateful because now her legs weren't in so much pain. Well, they still hurt like a bitch, but not as intensely as before. Sakura started to drift off into the abyss and safety of her own mind. She wanted to stay there for the rest of her life. This was becoming more than she could deal with and she did not want to admit that. She would **not** admit that. No sooner had she forced herself back into reality that she felt something she wasn't expecting. It was a light sort of touch and it was on her swollen lips. Of course, this hurt, so she cringed in pain, making sure to keep her emerald gaze anywhere but the young man before her.

Half of her expected him to say something, maybe even make fun of how pathetic she looked, but he did not. Instead, she felt the swollen lips healing as chakra pulsated through the fingers that so carefully ran themselves over her. Blinking a few times, Sakura started to wonder why he was healing her, but only told herself one thing. _It's just so that if he feels like 'punishing' me later, I won't already be too badly torn up...He's probably just mad that Sasuke did it instead of him.._ His anger was not something she expected, but when she finally forced herself to look up enough to see his onyx eyes, he looked mad. _Yep..It's only because he didn't do it himself..He doesn't want anyone else to hurt me because he feels it's his right.._ Rolling her eyes slightly, she huffed and closed her eyes for a few seconds before they snapped back open.

**"Why are you so mad..?"** Sakura did not ask him of her own accord. It was as if her body and vocal chords did it 'for' her. This showed by the young woman's surprise at her own question. _I already said why he's mad..Why did I ask that..?_ **"Don't look so tense, four eyes...It's almost as pathetic as my current state.."** Despite everything, the fact that she was in so much pain that she couldn't stand it, the fact that all she felt like doing was crying, even the fact that Kabuto's presence was only 'slightly' better than Sasuke's, the pink haired girl still managed to flash him a teasing smile. _What am I doing..?_ she asked herself over and over. _I'm seriously trying to mess with him right now? What is wrong with me?! Yamate! Urasai!_.

Looking away was all she could do after that. Her cheeks turned slightly pink from her own embarrassment and she cleared her throat. _I admitted I look pathetic...demo why am I pushing my luck? Better yet, why does he almost look..._ Sakura did not finish her thought because she **absolutely** refused to admit what she saw in his eyes. Concern, or at least what looked like it. _Nai!_ she internally screamed at herself, slightly grumbling aloud as she did so. _He isn't concerned. I already decided why he's healing me and why he looks mad. Just..urasai..baka.._ Now **she** was angry. Angry at herself for even thinking he cared, angry at him for making her **think** he did, and angry at Sasuke for what he'd done. _It's funny...A few years ago...that rough kiss would have been something I wanted...demo..now I just feel violated...It could have been worse..At least it's over..Maybe it won't happen again..._ She chose to focus on her irritation rather than confuse herself any further. _Hai.._.

_[ Oh Kami I was in so much pain. Everything hurt. Parts of my body that I didn't even know __**existed**__ hurt. You made me so mad. I wanted so badly to keep telling myself that you didn't care. How was I supposed to know that part of you did? I realize now that at that time, both of us were starting to feel the same thing. However, you quickly changed my outlook of that afterword. It was still to be a long time before we could admit to ourselves that we cared about each other, but even then, I was content to sit there in my pathetic state and push your buttons. Sometimes, I really do think I was a bit masochistic.. ] _.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

As the young male concentrated his chakra to heal her swollen lip, he watched tensely as she turned her head to look him straight in his angry eyes. They stayed locked in the other's gaze for a moment, however she escaped by closing her emerald orbs. She seemed quite annoyed, and he didn't hesitate to remove his touch once he was finished healing. He shouldn't even be wasting his time, and thats what this was: a complete waste of time. He contemplated getting up and leaving right this second, and had her eyes not snapped open so forcefully and full of purpose he probably would have.

"Why are you so mad..?" she asked, successfully surprising and angering him more because he didn't know how to respond. His feelings were conflicting and the simple fact that his emotions were breaking through was enough to really anger him. Still, he was unable to coherently answer because he wasn't sure himself. All he could think was _Sasuke._ He felt his nails dig into his skin as the muscles in his hand tightened in fury at the mere thought of his name. Oh, how he hated that boy..

"Don't look so tense, four eyes...It's almost as pathetic as my current state.." Her teasing words had shocked him enough, but when her lips stretched to form a small smile, the astonishment showed in his onyx irises. She was pathetic, as she herself had admitted, yet she was telling him what to do..and calling him that _ridiculous_ nickname. _Did Sasuke hit you on your head too hard? No, no..I suppose thats you. Stubborn and courageous._

He was yet to speak when she awkwardly glanced away, and he realized she was slightly embarrassed. Now, not only was he puzzled by his own behavior, but hers too. All she had done was admit the evident truth to a person who could already see it. The ashamed expression she wore suddenly transformed to rage, matching what he was feeling but no doubt for a different reason. Her furious eyes scorched a deep hole into the wall opposite of them, and he sighed, becoming angrier by the second as he studied her. He wished he could just look away.

**"He shouldn't have been allowed to harm you. You're mine. That's why I'm **_**pissed"**_ he said as calmly as possible, but by the end of his words he was practically shouting. He was annoyed that his Sakura had been hurt, yet still she insulted him. She was the least obedient women he had ever met. He pressed his hand against his forehead, as if he had a headache. She was so difficult and infuriating. _I hate to admit this, but she's right. I'm acting almost as pathetic as she looks. _With a deep, calming breath, he removed his hand and attempted to push away his pitiful emotions. He adjusted his glasses, considering his next choice of words.

**"You do look rather pathetic. What exactly did he do to you? I only care because it interests me how he came so close to breaking you, both literally and emotionally."**

He leaned against the cold, heartless wall, and realized what it reminded him of. _Cold and heartless, hm? I hope so._

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Pitch black darkness pierced the air and despite the truthful fact that they could have continued onward, Itachi had, secretly quite eagerly, made the decision not to. His blue friend, Kisame, was beginning to lag behind slightly. They had been awake for three days straight with little sleep on the fourth. And truthfully? He had secretly been relieved to stop. He was postponing the inevitable. By midday tomorrow, they two akatsuki would arrive, and he would look directly into a pair of cold, bloodshot uchiha eyes. The eyes of the one person he truly loved. He would do almost anything for sasuke. His brother would never know that, but it was best that way. The elder Uchiha laid on the mossy earth, gazing at the few sparkling stars that shined in the sky. Kisame was snoring loudly, but him? He barely slept.


	21. Chapter 21

**Sakura**

* * *

"He shouldn't have been allowed to harm you. You're mine. That's why I'm furious" Oh, he thought **he** was furious? He really should not have said that. _Okay, that. Is. It! I have __**had**__ it with you, four eyes!_ Angrily, the young woman narrowed her emerald eyes and opened her mouth to speak. **"How many times do I have to tell you that 'you' do **_**not**_** own me!?"** Her left eye was twitching furiously, relentlessly, and her arm was twitching while her fist clenched so tightly together that her knuckles began to turn white. _And for the record, four eyes, I don't see you with just about every bone in your limbs broken. You have 'no' reason to complain...Acting childish again...It's so unbecoming..._.

Kabuto looked just about as ready to blow his top as Sakura was to blow hers. Both of them were obviously infuriated, but neither knew what the other one was thinking, nor why their opposite seemed just as angry as they themselves. Cringing at the sudden realization that she had made herself bleed with her nails digging into her hand, the young woman let out a frustrated sigh and allowed the healing chakra to pulsate through her uninjured hand, quickly closing the wound and leaving a small trail of blood that trickled down into tiny droplets on the floor. The silence in the room that stood between the two individuals was devastating and thick as smog. The kunoichi was about to break the silence, no doubt with something witty that would infuriate the person in front of her even more so, but no such luck as the four eyes spoke first.

"You do look rather pathetic. What exactly did he do to you? I only care because it interests me how he came so close to breaking you, both literally and emotionally." Sakura's eye began to twitch rather violently at this mixture of a question and statement. Oh she was mad. Not only was she mad, she literally had to stop herself from trying to move to harm him only to end up in pain on the floor. _"Your limbs are broken...Remember that..."_ Inner Sakura painfully reminded her alter self. In this state, she really was rather pathetic. Her weakness showed as anger bubbled up inside of her, ready to boil over onto this young man at any second. _Nai, I have to stay calm..._ she told herself, letting out a small, heaved sigh and closing her eyes for another brief moment before looking up to stare directly into those deep onyx eyes once more.

**"Sasuke kun did not even come close...The only breaking he did should be apparent in my disoriented limbs...Any other stupid questions?"** Her smile was sweet, but her tone harbored malice and ice. Oh he had managed to piss her off. The only way she could keep herself from making a very dumb mistake was simply by being 'herself,' or at the very least, the version that Kabuto had come to know 'oh so well' in their time together. The painfully obvious sarcasm was back and so was her will of fire. Now she was even more determined not to let either one of these boys break her. _If I hadn't already made up my mind, which I had, it would be a __**definite**__ thing now.._ Sakura relaxed herself, allowing the smallest hints of a smirk to grace her features as she again allowed the eerie green chakra to emit from her good hand. Slowly hovering it over her legs, they started to mend, and still, all she did was continue to think of ways to taunt and inwardly torture the young man in her presence. _You've just released the side of me I never let anyone see..._ she hissed in her thoughts, anger apparent. _Let's just hope that you can handle it..._.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"How many times do I have to tell you that 'you' do not own me!?"

**"I'm confused. You say I don't? That doesn't make much sense, considering I clearly do."** he questioned, feigning utter shock. She was twitching in disgust and anger pooled out of her body in obvious waves. Of course he understood that she thought she was free. She didn't believe him when he said she was his, but it was true. The pink headed girl simply didn't realize it yet. One day, however, it was inevitable that she would. But it annoyed him that she hadn't realized it yet.

They were both extremely irritated, both for very different, yet somehow unknowingly similar reasons. Both were handling their feelings in similar ways. This girl, his prisoner, she was so angry that she had drawn her own blood from her hand. He had been close to doing the same, however had stopped himself. He could practically smell the irony in the air. They lived such different lives, yet shared so many things in common. Except for the fact that she didn't enjoy torturing people. _Perhaps that is why she's so much fun to play with._

After he had corrupted the heavy silence, she became even angrier. He could practically see the steam radiating off her. It looked as if she was contemplating an attack, however they both knew that was impossible in her state. Which made it all the more fun to provoke her. He was dismayed, however, at her response. She was pushing his buttons right back. She even managed to calm herself.

"Sasuke kun did not even come close...The only breaking he did should be apparent in my disoriented limbs...Any other stupid questions?"

**"Just one more"** he began, frowning slightly. **"Did you enjoy it when he kissed you?"**

Maybe that would wipe that confident smirk off her face.

He was unsure as to why he felt so inclined to ask, but told himself it was simply curiosities sake. Besides, any true experimentalist wouldn't hesitate to collect data. Still, he shouldn't have bothered to ask. As soon as the question escaped his lips, he wished he could have taken it back. Screw the data. The simple fact was that it shouldn't concern him. He was above petty things like this. He was conflicted between telling her to forget about his question and waiting it out until she answered. He had been confused about what to say and do since he arrived in this room tonight. _More reason as to why I shouldn't have bothered coming in here. She could take care of herself, and even if she couldn't it didn't matter to him. As long as she was alive when Sasuke returned his toy, he could play. _

He told this to himself several times, and then quickly slid off of her ordinary bed. His feet came in contact with the chilly floor, however he didn't feel the bite. He stood up straight, looking down at the pink haired girl on her bed. She was healing herself, although how much she'd be able to heal with the chakra levels she had wasn't certain, she certainly wouldn't be able to heal everything. _Oh well, it isn't my problem. She doesn't look like she's going to drop dead any time soon, and that was the only reason I bothered to stop by._

He gave one last look at her emerald eyes, staring into them for a moment. If he looked deep enough, he swore he could see a sparkle of conflict. Perhaps all he saw was the reflection of his own.

**"I suppose I may stop by tomorrow. Don't count on it, though I'm sure your 'Sasuke kun' will visit you plenty times."** was all he said for a goodbye. He turned on his heel, and stepped out.

He wasn't conflicted about leaving, but he was conflicted about what he was feeling at the time, especially when he looked at her pitiful state. The fact that he felt anything besides joy was troubling.

_I suppose I should go sleep. I get the strange feeling that tomorrow will be a very tiring day_ he thought, headed in the direction of his room.

_{And what a tiring day it was...}_


	22. Chapter 22

**Sakura**

* * *

"I'm confused. You say I don't? That doesn't make much sense, considering I clearly do.".

The silver haired man feigned utter shock, further pissing off the young woman in front of him. _He_ was starting to push _her_ buttons, and she could not have that. **"You're just mad because I'm terrified of Sasuke kun, demo not you."** she mumbled, narrowing her eyes slightly before allowing herself to relax. **"It's perfectly fine for you to think that. An opinion is an opinion, after all."** She paused for a moment, seemingly going to just leave it alone and not make it worse. **"Yours is simply wrong."** Her fake smile grew in size and her emerald hues once more held both amusement and mischief. _He wants to get right back to playing even after what just happened, then fine. I'll oblige..I'm always the one who ends up coming out on top when he argue like this anyway...I'll have him so mad that he won't come in here for a week and I'll have all that time to myself to come up with new ways to get under his skin.._.

When the rosette asked if her male companion of sorts had any more dumb questions, she wasn't really expecting what he asked. In fact, it left her stunned for a moment or two. "Just one more. Did you enjoy it when he kissed you?"

It was obvious that Sasuke had kissed her. The roughness of it still lingered on her full and slightly swollen lips. Emerald orbs widened in surprise, not wanting to really answer that. _Of course I didn't like it!_ she wanted to practically scream at him. _Who likes being forced into something like that?!_ For a moment, it seemed like she had been bested, but a sparkle of something strange was soon seen in Sakura's eyes and she laughed softly, leaning back on the wall behind her.

**"Ne ne, such a personal question. You seem so upset about it, Kabuto sama. What's wrong, jealous?"** _I can't believe I just asked that...Of course he's not jealous..demo seeing that vein in his forehead throb will be worth it..._

He'd not managed to wipe the confident smirk off of her face, only deter it for a small moment while she thought of how to toy with him. It was way too much fun, even in her current pained state. _You are way too much fun to mess with...demo I need to stop playing around and get back to figuring out how I'm going to get out of here..._ The amusement was still there, but while the outer Sakura was continuing on her 'rampage' of sorts, the inner part of the young woman's mind was turning its wheels over and over in contemplation of what to do.

No sooner had she done so, that she was snapped out of her thoughts by what her mind told her was speech. "I suppose I may stop by tomorrow. Don't count on it, though I'm sure your 'Sasuke kun' will visit you plenty times."

Rolling her eyes a little at his comment, Sakura's only response was to yawn and wave at him like she was sad to see him go. **"Later, four eyes!"**

When he exited the room, she let out a small sigh and continued to heal herself. _Well that was relatively pointless..._ she thought, a frown creasing the corners of her mouth as she fought the urge to groan in pain. _Sasuke kun really did a number on me, ne?_ she asked herself, shaking her head at the thought of that and just cringing. _I don't want to think about it...I hope it never happens again.._.

After a long while of sitting there and just contemplating things, the young woman let out a real yawn. This indicated that it was probably time to sleep. _I can always think straight when I'm awake...For now, I'm tired..._ And that is what she did. The sleep was not amazing, of course. Shots of pain in the middle of the night kept keeping her awake, but she ignored them the best she could and got at least a few hours of much needed rest.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"Dattebayo!" the young blond shouted as he pointed to a suspicious looking area. "I think I found it!"

"That's what you said yesterday about six times with six different caves...We just need to keep looking..." Kakashi let out a sigh as he leaned against a tree and began reading his Icha Icha Paradise book. Obviously, he wasn't worried and didn't sense any danger.

"Nai, nai, I think I really did find it this time! I'll prove it to you!"

"Fine. Go ahead...I'll know if you don't come out in an hour..." The older ninja shook his head, half expecting Naruto to emerge within five minutes because he'd found another bear. When he stayed gone for a lot longer, though, he started to get worried.

Uzumaki Naruto stepped quietly into the cave with purpose and determination. He was here for a reason and would not leave without said reason. Hearing noises from deeper within, he crept into the shadows and lurked as close to the walls as possible. Just in case he were right this time, which for some reason, he knew he was, he was going to make sure he didn't get caught. _If this were any other reason, I'd probably just run in and demand Sasuke teme back.._ he thought with a small sigh, a little embarrassed by his sometimes rash behavior. _Demo, Sakura chan's life is at stake, so I have to be careful.._ Nodding to himself, he continued to sneak around and soon heard something very familiar.

In a flash, he hid behind a rock and adjusted his sun blind eyes until he could see. It was a door. _Who has a door in a regular cave?_ he thought, scratching his head until it hit him. _Oh, Dattebayo, maybe I was right! Take that Kakashi sensei!_ That's when he heard _her._ "Sakura chan..?".

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ I woke up with a bit of a groan and started talking aloud in my half asleep state. Apparently, I was talking about escaping, chess pieces, and some other stuff that I have no idea where it came from. I had no idea at the time that what I'd heard was none other than my best friend, Uzumaki Naruto. Even when I heard him call my name, I just blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes. I thought I was still asleep. I thought I was dreaming. It was just not plausible that I wasn't. ]_.

"Sakura chan..?"

Words from outside the door that were familiar in a good way slowly made their way into the young woman's ear canals. Blinking a few times, Sakura rubbed her tired emerald orbs and let out a small yawn. She decided she'd humor her dream.

_Okay, go ahead and mock me. I'll play along..._ **"Hai, Naruto kun?"**

"Sakura chan! I finally found you!" This time it was much louder and it had snapped the girl out of her tiredness.

This wasn't a dream. This was real. Naruto was here and that was bad. **"Baka, keep your voice down!"** she demanded, pulling herself with a lot of pain to the crack in the door. She could see him in the shadows. His bright orange jumpsuit and flashy yellow hair gave him away. The image in itself made Sakura face palm. _Oh Kami, Naruto...You're going to get yourself killed one of these days..._.

"Hehe. Gomen, Sakura chan." The blond grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, slowly making his way to the door. "Dattebayo, let's get out of here. I already told grandma Tsunade what a bad idea it was to let you come here alone. We'll talk about that later, for now, how do I get you out?"

Naruto was determined to free his friend and go home with her safe and sound, but the young woman knew that was impossible for one simple reason.

**"You can't get the door open without **_**his**_** help...He put the seal on the door and doesn't intend on removing it anytime soon...Plus, I can't leave yet...I have to get that book back.."**

Now it was Naruto's turn to be surprised. "Sakura chan, who cares about a stupid book?! Dattebayo, who put a seal on this door? Was it Sasuke teme? I'll make him open it!".

His voice was getting louder by the minute and Sakura pleaded with him to be quiet. **"Naruto kun, kurasai...be quiet! They'll hear you!"**

The blond growled and tried to take the door off of its hinges, only resulting in himself getting a large splinter. "Shimata, I'll break this door down if it takes all of my strength!"

**"Baka! What part of 'there is a chakra seal on it' don't you understand?! Now urasai before you get killed!"** _Why is he here? Why did he come? Did Lady Tsunade tell him? Have I really become that incompetent that she would go back on her promise? Why are you here, Naruto kun...I'm happy to see you as it's nice to see someone not hostile, demo, nonde...? What's going on..?_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Oh, he proved to be so adept at pissing this girl off. He had her mumbling under her breath, something about how she was afraid of Sasuke and not him. _You'll be afraid of me too, eventually._ he thought with certainty.

"It's perfectly fine for you to think that. An opinion is an opinion, after all." she began, "Yours is simply wrong."

**"Opinion? You must mean fact."**

A devious look was in her eyes. He refused to give her the satisfaction of angering him any further. Although she did, he wouldn't show it. She was clearly trying to infuriate him, so of course he would simply play back. Obviously he asked the one question he knew would stun her. Her angry eyes slowly widened. It had worked. That's what he had thought, until a certain emotion shined in her eyes. She leaned against the wall and even began to laugh softly. She unexpectedly surprised him right back.

"Ne ne, such a personal question. You seem so upset about it, Kabuto sama. What's wrong, jealous?"

It had been a personal question. It was meant to toy with her emotions, and although he wouldn't admit this, it was also because he wanted an answer. He _was_ slightly upset by it. Perhaps a little more than slightly. It was only because he hated the Uchiha. He was most definitely, however, _**not**_ jealous. The annoying pest of a boy had already accused him of this. She must have heard him, and that was why she even bothered to ask. She was back to playing with him, and now she was back with a vengeance. He absolutely refused to show how angry he was. He pushed up his glasses, creating a glare and hiding the fury in his eyes.

**"If I was jealous, which I'm not, it would not be because of something as disgusting as kissing you. It would be because he was the first to truly ruin that body of yours and decorate it with bruises."**

He needed to leave. If he stayed here much longer, there was no doubt she would really get on his nerves. She seemed excited for him to go, which was good. If he didn't leave, he might hurt her further. After he left, he couldn't help but wonder. _Why didn't I hurt her?_

-

He woke up with a pounding headache, due to a very unpleasant dream he had. Even in his sleep, she managed to mess with his head. Although to be fair, he was more pissed at Sasuke. His sleep was filled with images of the annoying uchiha doing things to her only _he_ should be able to do..and disgustingly intimate things. He didn't want to think about that part, though. The last thing he needed was more vivid images about him kissing her.

He shook his head and his thoughts away. He had to go see Orochimaru this morning and give the serpant like male his medication. His feet instinctively slid over his bed and he sat up, ready to begin another day. However, something felt different. He looked around the room, and sighed to himself. He was borderline ridiculous. Reaching over to his bedside desk, he first took his glasses and put them on. He adjusting them until it felt comfortable. Then he grabbed his headband. Instead of putting it on right away, he glanced down at the shiny forehead protector and the symbol engraved in it. _Konaha is a pathetic village.. filled with pathetic people. _At one time, he was one of them. Not anymore though.

He tied the band around his head and rose from the bed. He wasn't sure what time it was, however it felt as if he slept in. He never slept in. Orochimaru would be unhappy, something that had been happened a lot lately. He walked to the door, still in no hurry, but once his hand connected itself to the handle, he realized what had felt so different. A chakra source. Not corrupt enough to be Sasuke, not inhuman enough to be Orochimaru. Not pathetic enough to be a prisoner, and not weak enough to be Sakura. He didn't need to think about it long, because he recognized this particular chakra. It belonged to a certain idiotc, bold, blond boy who was reckless enough to come into this hideout without so much as masking his chakra. _Naruto_

Now he was in a hurry. His feet quickly approached the boy who just so happened to be right in front of Sakura's door. He soon heard the obnoxiously loud voice of Naruto's, proving his suspicion. The nine tails kid was here to save his friend. He hadn't been expecting him here so soon. It was his job to keep Naruto occupied until the akatsuki came and Orochimaru and Sasuke arrived to kill them. Then, he would simply make sure he didn't get his hands on Sakura. It was a perfect plan, and it was easy to execute. There was no way the boy would take her, and with any luck afterwords Orochimaru would perform the switch and Sasuke would be dead.

He hid in the shadows for a moment and watched the boy try and take down the door. It didn't work, of course. He could hear the boy shouting at it, as if he could will it to fall off. But unless that seal was removed, it wouldn't be going anywhere.

He stepped out into view, although the boy was so absorbed in saving the girl that he didn't even notice. He stepped closer, until he was only a couple of feet behind him and now in sakura's view, unbeknownst to him .

**"Hello, Naruto. I must say, I wasn't expecting you here this soon."**

He smirked, drawing a kunai and holding it up. He was prepared for a fight. It would even be a little fun to see how much the boy has grown since the last time they really battled. At the time, he had been protecting Tsunade. Now, he was trying to protect her student.

**"I knew you would come, even if it was against your hokages orders. Even if it meant exile, you would probably still come. You wouldn't leave your Sakura chan alone and frightened, waiting to be saved. But I have something to tell you. As much as I admire your will, I must tell you this. One, you can't save her. And two, she isn't yours. She's **_**mine**_ **She is my toy, my possession, my Sakura and i will do whatever I want to her and you can't stop me."**

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

They had woken up about an hour ago. They were a bit behind the nine tails jinjuriki, but that was done so purposely. It wouldn't be long though, because they were close. He could feel it. Soon, he would be fighting his younger brother. Not to the death, not yet.

Kisame glanced over at him. "Itachi, I know you look and act like a completely emotionless robot, and hell sometimes you really are, but I'm not an idiot. I know you. You have something up your sleeve. It has to do with your brother, doesn't it? I'm going to find out what it is eventually. You can be damn sure of that."

Itachi didn't meet his gaze, and almost pretended like he didn't hear a word.

_Almost._

**"Hn."**


	23. Chapter 23

**Naruto**

* * *

Naruto looked at his best friend through the crack in the door. Her emerald eyes had widened and she looked utterly frightened about something. _Does she see Sasuke teme..?_ he wondered. On second evaluation, however, he realized it was not Sasuke. The chakra was different and Sakura wouldn't look so scared had it been Sasuke. _Right?_

"Hello, Naruto. I must say, I wasn't expecting you here this soon."

"Four eyes...?"

The blond young man blinked as the silver haired boy got into a fighting stance. _He's serious..._ the boy thought, shaking his head and glancing back at his friend.

**"If you so much as lay a finger on Naruto kun, I swear! And what do you mean by you weren't expecting him 'so soon'? What's going on?!"** Sakura was panicking and little good her threat did her when she was still stuck behind this accursed door.

Naruto blinked a few times before staring down his opponent. _Sakura chan was right. I should have been quiet...demo why did she threaten him? It's not like I'll let him hurt me._

"You expected wrong then, obviously. I am only here for Sakura chan...Maybe you should put that away before someone gets hurt."

The blond grinned sheepishly, causing the young woman behind the door to slam her face into her palm. **"Itaii...Naruto bakero! Get out of here!"**

_I don't know what's going on, demo it's not good...Something tells me I neglected to look at the fact that there was obviously a plan in getting Naruto here...I should have known that...I should have known he'd come after me..Kami, don't let him get hurt!_.

"I knew you would come, even if it was against your hokages orders. Even if it meant exile, you would probably still come. You wouldn't leave your Sakura chan alone and frightened, waiting to be saved. But I have something to tell you. As much as I admire your will, I must tell you this. One, you can't save her. And two, she isn't yours. She's mine She is my toy, my possession, my Sakura and i will do whatever I want to her and you can't stop me." Kabuto's words fell on a furious taken aback by the man's words was the blond that he took a step back, sapphire blue orbs widening to further show his surprise.

"N-Nani..? What...did you say...?"

Naruto soon became angry. The words had sunk in and he was furious. _Who in the hell does he think he is?!_ Without even being in control of his own body, the blond rushed forward.

Kabuto's back soon met with the cold and sharp wall behind him. Naruto. Was. Mad.

"How dare you talk about Sakura chan like she's some kind of possession! Dattebayo! She's a person, a human being...and she's definitely not yours! I'll save her whether she wants me to or not, demo I'll kick your ass first, four eyes!"

Naruto's eyes turned blood red.

The chakra of the nine tailed fox was beginning to consume him. The whisker marks on his face became more apparent and animalistic and the hand that kept the silver haired boy shoved against the wall harbored extending and claw like nails.

"What did you do to Sakura chan?!" he demanded, anger as well as part of Kurama's voice in his tone. Nothing was stopping from this, not Sakura, not Sasuke, not Kakashi. Kabuto was going to _pay._.

**Sakura**

_[ All I felt in those moments was fear. Sheer, unadulterated, raw fear. Naruto was going to get hurt because of me. That's all I could think about. This had been a set up from the beginning and I was too blind to see it. Kabuto's words hit me hard. I was not some weak girl who was waiting around to be saved. I didn't __**want**__ to be saved...I was going to complete my mission if it killed me, but at the time, all I wanted to do was get Naruto out and make sure he was alive and well. The thought of losing him terrified me. ]_.

**"Naruto kun, yamate! Forget about me and get out of here! This is very obviously a trap!"** Naruto could not hear her as he was now. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. All the young woman could do was sit there and watch with fearful eyes from the crack in the door, trembling from head to toe. _Oh Kami...Oh Kami...Kurasai...help Naruto kun...I don't want him to die because of me..._ For the moment, Sakura felt tears stinging her eyes. Quickly, however, she pushed them away and tried to focus. She had to get Naruto to listen to her. This was bad. This was very, very bad.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"If you so much as lay a finger on Naruto kun, I swear! And what do you mean by you weren't expecting him 'so soon'? What's going on?!"

The young, silver haired male couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at her words. She was much too naive. Was it possible that she believed she was being held here for no reason other than his fun? Of course, he wouldn't mind if that were true, but it affected him little. When this whole ordeal was over with, and her precious Naruto kun was dead, the only downside would be that she may be _too_ easy to break. He wasn't sure he wanted to murder the boy though, perhaps he would leave that to Sasuke. Although rather surprising, even to himself, he respected the jinjuriki. His death would be unfortunate, but required.

"You expected wrong then, obviously. I am only here for Sakura chan...Maybe you should put that away before someone gets hurt."

**"I'm not too concerned, because you're the only one who is going to end up hurt."** he declared, smiling sadistically.

Although the boy didn't seem to sense the danger, Sakura seemed to. She was constantly telling him to run, and he didn't seem to be listening. It was time to get the point across. And oh, did it hit Naruto like a slap in the face. His eyes widened. _That's right..she's mine._

"N-Nani..? What...did you say...?" His surprise quickly transformed into a look of pure, undying anger. He looked absolutely, without a doubt, _pissed._ Kabuto was about to make a sarcastic remark, when suddenly he was slammed against the wall. Before the pain hit, he had the small thought that this was similiar to when he pushed Sasuke. He had shoved the uchiha in anger, fighting over sakura, and Naruto was doing the same to him. But those thoughts didn't last long, because then the pain did set in.

"How dare you talk about Sakura chan like she's some kind of possession! Dattebayo! She's a person, a human being...and she's definitely not yours! I'll save her whether she wants me to or not, demo I'll kick your ass first, four eyes!"

He watched as the boys eyes glowed a bright, furious red. All of his features became more demonic, including the growl in his words.

"What did you do to Sakura chan?!" he shouted.

He smiled. It wasn't a happy smile. Instead, it was a smile filled with cruel pleasure. His entire face lit up devilishly. The pain in his body was nearly invisible, because this was worth it. He was going to play with her friend now. It was only so much fun because she would have to watch him suffer. And that was what, in the end, would break her.

**"Heh. She was so fragile. Really. Her bones broke far too easily. Her scream is wonderful though, I plan on keeping her for quite awhile. I'll get to watch her struggle whenever I wish. But the best part?"** he began, his smile growing by the minute. He leaned closer, as if he were telling a secret. **"If you kiss her hard enough, her lips become beautifully swollen."**

With the kunai still in his hand, he was barely able to swing his hand close enough to make contact with the boy's skin. Expecting him to dodge, he leaned to the side and maneuvered his way out of his hold. Both of his hands glowed brightly, and he took a defensive position. Considering how angry he would be, there was no doubt the boy would be acting irrationally. He would attack and throw whenever he could, without thinking strategically. Which was convenient, considering kabuto was all about strategy. However, his mind was distracted when he sensed two very large chakra sources. Normally, he would assume if they were not masking their chakra, they were of no importance. But he realized that it was not that they were stupid, it was that they wanted to be recognized. Because this was the akatsuki, and they were so strong they had no need to be sneaky. At least, that was what they must have thought. He made the mistake of wasting his time with thoughts of their arrival that he was somewhat vulnerable to the attack that was to come.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Their feet landed softly on the cold ground beneath them, and they looked into an opening of the cave. But while he stood in place, Kisame began to move inside. Itachi didn't follow.

"Eh, Itachi? Are you coming?"

He was quite for a moment, staring into the darkness that lurked. **"No."**

"Whaaaaaaat!? You're going to let me fight them alone? You're not usually this nice."

He sighed lightly, not wishing to explain. However, he had to. **"They will come to us. Both of us will fight better in an open space."**

"Ah, but how will they know we're here?"

**"There is no longer a need to mask our chakra."**

It seemed Kisame understood now, and he grinned. He was prepared for a bloody fight, in fact he was looking forward to it. Itachi, however, simply stood there with an empty expression. He appeared neutral. He didn't particularly want to, however he accepted that he must. When he was very young, he didn't want to become a ninja. He was forced to, of course. By the time he graduated the academy, he learned to accept it. When he became a jounin, he realized his passion was not fighting, but protecting. He loved to protect people. If that meant violence, then so be it. He had gone as far as murder to protect his village. This was no different, except perhaps on a smaller scale. But his brother was his everything, so to him it wasn't truly smaller. He would sacrifice every chance at happiness, every good thing in his life, and respect from any person, so that Sasuke could eventually live a happy life. Once he was gone, and Sasuke lost his resentment and need for vengeance, he hoped one day his little brother could.

_Are you coming, little brother? It is time to test your strength._


	24. Chapter 24

**Naruto**

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was in a rage unlike any he'd been even close to in years. The blond growled demonically, Kurama's voice now very apparent in his voice. He only paused for another minute to again be so stunned that it caused speechlessness.

"Heh. She was so fragile. Really. Her bones broke far too easily. Her scream is wonderful though, I plan on keeping her for quite awhile. I'll get to watch her struggle whenever I wish. But the best part?"Kabuto's wicked smile grew by the minute and he leaned closer to the boy's ear as if his words were secret. "If you kiss her hard enough, her lips become beautifully swollen."

Naruto's eyes were wider than should be possible. For a moment, his rage turned into confusion, but that did not last long.

The young man roared, the effects of Kurama taking over even more than already. "You sick bastard!" he growled, about to hit him with his now paw like hand. Too late. The silver haired man evaded his attack and managed to get out of his hold.

True, Naruto dodged the kunai attack, but even if he had not, the intense chakra rolling off of him would have probably burned both the kunai **and** the young man's hand to a pretty bad degree. Spinning around, the blond boy got on all fours, teeth bared and ready to attack. "Give her back...Give Sakura chan back!" Just then, a voice from behind deterred the ninetails jinchuriki. The chakra signature was very familiar, too familiar to miss. "Sasuke.." he muttered, turning his attention to his old friend momentarily.

"Hmph. Naruto.." the raven said with a smirk before looking at Kabuto rather annoyed. "Taking credit for my actions, ne?" he said, although naruto didn't understand what he was talking about, he didn't care.

The reason he did not care was because in that moment, he sensed _his_ chakra signature. Wide eyed, the Uchiha turned towards the entrance of the cave. Soon, his now blood red eyes held the sharingan and he ran off, hurriedly. "Itachi..." he muttered, picking up speed as the battle behind him no longer mattered. It was as if there was no one else around because now he was focused on _him._ Itachi, his older brother whom he'd sworn to kill.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_I can sense him. He's close...Is he really dumb enough to fall for Orochimaru's trap? Tch, it doesn't matter. All that matters is my revenge...I've done as you said, nii san...I've grown stronger...I no longer lack hatred...I'll kill you where you stand and restore the honor of the Uchiha name..._ His thoughts had nearly clouded his judgement several times before, but not this time. Uchiha Sasuke was very much prepared to fight his older brother, who happened to be conveniently located right at the entrance of the cave. When Sasuke's eyes met his, there was a momentary lapse of silence. All the younger brother did was draw his sword and narrow his eyes in obvious anger. "Itachi..." he growled, stepping closer and completely ignoring Kisame as if he did not even exist. _This is it. I'll kill you today, brother...I'll avenge the Uchiha name and have you begging for death at my feet...This is my path, the path of an avenger..._.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

"Matte, Sasuke!" Naruto called after his former friend and teammate, but as soon as he was out of reach and hearing distance, the blond remembered his current target. _You...You hurt Sakura chan...You...violated my friend...I'll...I'll kill you!_ The young man wasted no time. "Sakura chan, I don't want you to watch this!" he called to the girl behind the door who was still pleading with him to just leave. Her words could not reach him, not as he was now. "You...You hurt...Sakura chan...How dare you even touch her!" Enraged almost all over again, Naruto stood up on two legs and made quick hand signs. Soon, a shadow clone was next to him and forming a rasengan in his clawed hand. "I'll kill you, rotten bastard! Rasengan!".

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ All I remember thinking was how I needed to get Naruto to leave. Nothing I said or did was working. All of my words fell on deaf ears. I may as well have been talking to a wall because that's certainly what it felt like. Naruto was so damn stubborn, still is. The part that upset me the most was that I was completely and utterly useless. My limbs were still half broken, as I'd only managed to heal them to the point of the pain subsiding for small periods of time, and I was stuck behind that damn door! I felt like I was the same Sakura as at the Chuunin Exams in those moments. I felt weak. I felt helpless. I felt like my best friend was going to get hurt because I had been foolish and acted rashly. I'm glad he's alright now, demo it was really scary to literally be watching my friend nearly die... ]_.

**"Yamate, Naruto kun!"** Sakura yelled. Her pleading was getting raspier because she was practically losing her voice from how much she was trying to convince him to leave. _Why won't he listen to me?! Dammit, Naruto, I don't want you to die!_ Of course she'd known that she had been there for a reason, but she hadn't expected it to be luring Naruto in. _What need do they have of the ninetails..?_ she wondered, hitting the door with her good fist and only getting a splinter in return. It was then that the young woman was snapped out of her thoughts. She heard Kabuto's words to Naruto and it made her angry. He was messing with Naruto by using what Sasuke had done. _That teme!_ she practically roared in her thoughts, trying to think of some way to calm her animalistic friend. **"Naruto kun, he's lying! Sasuke kun did those things to me, not him! Don't let him get in your head, baka! Focus!"** She knew her pleas were useless, but she just _had_ to keep trying. This boy was important to her. If he died, especially with her having to watch, she would never recover.

The sight of Sasuke sent the kunoichi away from the door as she crawled back so as not to be seen, but it didn't seem to matter as he took off rather quickly. _What is that chakra...?_ she thought, spiraling from her dizzy state, her hoarse voice, and the powerful chakra that she felt nearby. _Sasuke kun would only go after one person with that much determination and purpose...It must be his brother...but why would he be here..? What business does the Akatsuki have here...?_ And then it hit her like that cave wall had when she first arrived. _Are they using Naruto to get at the Akatsuki?_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"You sick bastard!"

Heh. I haven't been so kindly praised in such a long time. This is refreshing he thought as he escaped the boy's hold.

"Give her back...Give Sakura chan back!"

It was rather amusing. Did he really think that if he yelled and demanded Sakura back, Kabuto would simply return her? He didn't even bother saying please. It wouldn't be that easy to save his precious friend.

All of a sudden, a sinister chakra radiated nearby in the darkness of the shadows. It was easily recognizable as the one person he truly despised. The Uchiha stepped out from the shadows, staring down the silver haired male and only giving a glance and small, indifferent acknowledgement to his former friend. His true goal was to annoy Kabuto. It didn't seem to even matter than Naruto was in the room, raging and rampaging. "Taking credit for my actions, ne?"

"Heh. Alls fair in love and war. And this is war."

As soon as they sensed Itachi's presence, the younger Uchiha ran in his direction. He could not bother himself with trivial matters when he could be killing his brother. Once that boy left, the other one seemed to remembered why he was here. More specifically, he seemed to remembered who he wanted to kill.

"You...You hurt...Sakura chan...How dare you even touch her!"

He had been too distracted over the situation with Sasuke and his brother to fully dodge what was coming next.

"I'll kill you, rotten bastard! Rasengan!"

Suddenly, he looked over at Naruto as a swirling ball of chakra was only an inch of two from his body. He had no room to fully dodge in such a small area. However, he wasn't about to die. He twisted his body to the side, but the attack still connected. The powerful Rasengan was charged with hatred and anger, and the moment it pierced his skin, he knew he had underestimated the nine tails jinjuriki. He managed to realize this even though at the moment, a tremendous, boiling pain shot in his shoulder. The force and power behind the strike pushed him several feet back, however even as his back collided with the ground, the sharp pain was nothing compared to the agony burning in his mangled shoulder.

He didn't scream. He didn't make a sound. Despite the struggle for consciousness he should have been facing, he appeared like little had happened. The only indication of pain was his tightly clenched teeth. The reason? His shoulder had already begun to heal. The heat stung deep within his body, but already the wound was closing. He had anticipated the attack and concentrated healing chakra in his shoulder, so that the damage would be reduced to minimum. Some blood dripped down his arm in a thin, crimson stream, however it was not much. He sat up, grinning.

"I thought you were going to kill me, Naruto. Or were you just talking big?" he questioned, raising his hand up defensively. It glowed an eerie blue. "You seem to be all about talk. You say you're going to save Sasuke, which clearly didn't happen. You say you're going to save Sakura, which clearly wont happen. And you say you're going to kill me, when obviously you're the one who is going to die"

He was simply provoking him so it was certain the boy would follow him outside. He then turned his head towards her door. "See you later, Sakura chan. When I'm done killing him, I'll come back. We can have lots of fun then." he assured, jumping backwards before turning around and running towards the exit. He was sure to jump from side to side as he ran, avoiding any attacks that Naruto attempted. The light at the end was becoming more visible, until eventually he was one step away from the outdoors. And the moment his foot connected with dirt, he jumped up and landed on a tree branch. Nearby, he saw Sasuke and his older brother, however he paid little attention to him. His job was to fight Naruto until Orochimaru was ready to come out of the hideout.

"So, are you going to attack me?" he questioned, smirking. His hands still glowed, ready to counter whatever came for him.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Itachi felt the intense presence approaching far before he saw him. He was prepared.

"Kisame. I will handle this." (size12 he said simply. He then waited patiently.

Soon, he emerged. His dark, emotionless eyes connected with his brothers crimson red sharingan. He could sense the strength radiating off him, and knew he would need his kekkai genkai as well. Suddenly, the dark orbs flashed into a deep red that matched Sasuke's.

His mind wandered to that day. Most of the time, he refused to let it do so. Today, he couldn't help it. "..if you wish to kill me, then hate me, despise me… and by all means flee, cling to your wretched life"

You did so, Sasuke. And when you kill me, you will become a hero.

His brother drew his sword and he knew the battle was about to begin. "Hello, little brother"


	25. Chapter 25

Today is a very special moment. Sakura chan has written in first person! Very cool in Naruto's POV c:

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

_My rasengan hit...It hit him almost point blank...There's no way that he can..._

"I thought you were going to kill me, Naruto. Or were you just talking big?"_Nai..._

"You seem to be all about talk." _Why are you still alive?!_

"You say you're going to save Sasuke, which clearly didn't happen." _Yamate..._

"You say you're going to save Sakura, which clearly wont happen." _Stop talking!_

"And you say you're going to kill me, when obviously you're the one who is going to die" _Stop mocking me, teme!_.

I couldn't see anything but red. My rage was never ending. I could hear Sakura chan in the background of the dark abyss in my mind, but I couldn't do anything about it. Parts of me wanted to answer her and tell her everything would be fine, but a larger part of me wanted to kill that four eyes, Kabuto Yakushi. How dare he take my Sakura chan! He acted like she was _his_ and that made me even angrier than I already was. At the time, no one knew that was even possible.

His words hit me and I could feel the fire within me burning ever brighter. Every fiber of my being told me to kill him, spill his blood, watch him writhe, and yet i didn't want Sakura chan to watch this. I told her to look away but she did not. I could just feel it. "You think I'm all talk.." I could hear Kurama inside of me speaking through my body as if it were his own. "Let's see if you think the same when you're dead!" A monstrous roar emitted from my throat and the darkness sucked me in deeper. It was no longer me in control. Kurama had taken over and I let him. Lately, I had come to find that I understood him more now and he wanted to help me in my endeavors and ambitions.

"See you later, Sakura chan. When I'm done killing him, I'll come back. We can have lots of fun then." That made me snap. Without thinking, I blindly chased him outside. Kabuto weaved all over the place because we all know a moving target is harder to hit than an immobile one. Despite Kurama's efforts to hit him, he managed to slip out of our grasp. The second the outside was visible and a foot hit the dirt, the coward leaped into a tree. Four eyes took a defensive position and Kurama followed suit. There was an angry growl of sorts as I could feel us dropping to all fours once more. "So, are you going to attack me?" Oh, he was taunting me. He knew that I couldn't back down from that. In a rage, Kurama swiped his large paw at him and attempted a tailed beast bomb, but I forbade that. _Don't. You'll destroy the entire area and possibly Sakura chan..._ _"Hmph...Were it not for the girl, I'd deny your request..Naruto.."_ Heh. Good ol' Kurama.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

_Hate. Anger. Rage. Revenge. Itachi..._ **"Hello, little brother."** He spoke to me in that same condescending tone as that night. The night he told me that I lacked hatred. _Run away and cling to your life..._ Itachi, my older brother..He meant everything to me. The betrayal I felt when I learned of what he'd done was something I've still not managed to get over. Would I admit that? Of course not. We stared each other down. Our sharingan eyes were apparent and I knew he was ready for me to attack him. Without hesitation, I ran at him, slashing my blade down on his arm.

_I'll see you writhing at my feet, Itachi!_ "Do you still think I lack hatred, brother?!" My words bit down on him like the first winter storms. Even now, he looked apathetic and emotionless. I wanted him dead. Every inch of my body screamed out for his blood. _I will avenge our clan...Restore the Uchiha's honor...I am an avenger...This is what I've been training for all of this time...This is it...Die!_ As much as I screamed at him in my thoughts, I'd never say such things aloud. To do so may be looked at as weak and I'd be damned before I let that happen. No more was I to allow my older brother to walk free. _You'll be dead in minutes...I'll kill you slowly and painfully...Even when you are begging for death at my feet, I'll prolong your suffering!_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"You think I'm all talk.."

With a swift movement his hand glided towards his eyes to press against his glasses and adjust them so they lay more comfortably. The blond boy in front of him sounded and appeared more furious than the whirling wind of his most powerful rasengan. **"Of course I do. That is what you are." **

"Let's see if you think the same when you're dead!"

His fierce, inhuman growl resembled the tailed beast within him. Naruto now lacked any control over his actions. He was a puppet to Kurama. However, even with the aid of the nine tails, Kabuto managed to make it out of the musty cave unscathed. Even though he took a defensive position atop the sturdy tree branch, he didn't do so cowardly. He did so intelligently. He wasn't one to initiate a fight unless it was by surprise.

He taunted intelligently as well. This was a jinjuriki and his tailed beast. It would be unwise to charge in blindly. Instead, it was best to wait until his opponent did so. A deadly paw swiped at him, however did not connect with his body. He jumped up into a high branch, dodging the attack by mere seconds. The air was filled with a thick dust. He looked where the previous branch had been and saw, through the sand particles, that it had fallen to the ground. It had been nothing more than a brittle bone when faced with the attack. His shrewd, sharp onyx eyes narrowed at the strength and speed the monster before him now possessed. Naruto was more than just a determined young boy; in this form he was capable of amazing feats.

He quickly pulled out his kunai, however instead of using it to fight a close ranged battle, he thought better. It would be easier to fight him in this form from a distance. The falling debris his him well enough that Naruto would probably not be able to see that the kunai had a paper bomb attached to it. It cut through the air like paper. He leaped backwards to avoid the explosion. _Clink!_ It sunk into the ground.

_One.._

_Two.._

_Three!_

_Boom!_ The earth around them shook lightly and the trees wobbled. Even nature was afraid of the fighting around it. Dirt and sand debris floated around the air, threatening to choke the living. He couldn't see or breath particularly well in this environment. Still, he chuckled.

**"I hope you realize that if you don't kill me, I'll have a lot more fun with my Sakura. I'll be doing things to her you could only ever dream of doing. And you know what? she'll enjoy it more than she could ever enjoy you. She'll be happy when you're dead and out of her way."** he assured with such certainty. Of course, he didn't mean exactly what he had implied. Still, it was fun to provoke him. _You are much more easy to mess with than Sakura.._

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

"Do you still think I lack hatred, brother?!"

He did not respond to the cold, angry voice. There was no need to, for both of them knew the answer. The sword then pierced through him. Or, rather, would have if that was the real him. In actuality, the sword sliced through nothing but air. From behind, an emotionless voice spoke. That voice was his own.

**"I am over here, brother."**

In an instant, he pulled out a sharp kunai. If you had blinked, you would have missed his hand even move. Itachi was one of the fastest ninja alive.

_Sasuke..how I wish things could be different. But wishes do not come true simply because you wish it to. I made my decision eight years ago. I would not choose between the village and you, and this was the only solution to have both._

He decided to move on the offensive in order to test his defense. In a blur, he charged forward. With a tight grip and a simple _swoosh,_ his kunai sliced through the air and in the direction of his little brother's heart.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

_Ah..so they have finally arrived. Now..for the fun._

Each step he took was slick and smooth as he slithered like a serpent. Despite the raging battle that went on outside, he was in no rush. He believed his right hand man could handle a brat like Naruto for a few minutes. And Sasuke? He had been training the boy for years. He had no doubt he could hold his own. Perhaps he could even kill that _pesky_ Itachi today. For now, however, Orochimaru was focused on another prize: the pink haired kunoichi who had intruded his hideout. He held no particular grudge against her, although the fact that she was from Konaha was reason enough, but she played _such_ a big part in this.

_Today is the last day she will see through her eyes. Today is the last day she will feel pain. Today is her last step. It is her last tear, the last day she will feel fear, her last scream. The last thing she will hear is our laughter as we watch the blade pierce her skin and infect her bloodstream. Today is her last breath. Because today she dies._

_And Naruto will bear witness. And he will watch as her blood leaks from her veins and stains the cold, disgusting earth. He will hurt. He will hate. He will be consumed with anguish and misery. His suffering will shatter the seal and the tailed beast within him will emerge. Konaha, the Akatsuki, and the world will pay. And I will take Sasuke's body and bear witness as villages crumble.._

There was no hesitation as he ripped apart the seal containing their most important prisoner. He laughed. Oh, she looked so pathetic. She was battered and bruised.

"Tsk tsk. Kabuto and Sasuke have had so much fun with you. Now it's my turn"

He approached her. As expected, she tried to move away from him. She was too weak in her state to put up much of a fight. He couldn't help but laugh as he reached to wrap his arms around her. It wasn't a hug, however. That was too revolting to even think about. No, he had her in a tight hold from behind. Her pink hair brushed against his face as she struggled, and he laughed evilly once more.

"Now it is time to join the others. Are you ready, Sakura?" he questioned, not looking for an answer. His snake wrapped around them, however he easily slithered out. As he walked, his snake dragged the pathetic women all the way to the exit.

They stepped outside only to meet a sandstorm. Destruction was happening around the battlefield, causing debris to float around. He paid no mind to it. Because of his snake, the kunoichi was held tightly in place. She was left to watch helpless as her two friends fought. Even if she managed to escape, he would simply order her dead.

"I wonder who will die first..?" he questioned the girl. However, he knew the answer to that question. _Sakura will die first_


	26. Chapter 26

**Naruto**

* * *

_[ Anger. That's all I felt in those moments. Anger and rage. Kurama very gladly kept fighting for me. I offered my help but he refused. All I knew was that I had to kill four eyes and save Sakura chan. As I had said before, "How can I expect to become Hokage if I can't even save one friend..?"I wanted him dead. Oh Kami I wanted him dead. Every inch of my body was burning with the urge to kill. I knew it was Kurama, but part of it was my own rage as well. ]_.

A kunai came flying in the direction of the monstrous blond boy. _"A kunai? Really, that's the best you've got? So insulting!"_ Kurama smirked and went to grab the kunai with his teeth just to show off and ended up injuring himself and Naruto in the process. _Shimata...Itai...Kurama, watch it!_ _"It was a paper bomb...Don't insult me, Naruto. I can handle much more than that.."_ A sandstorm of dirt flew everywhere, getting in Naruto's eyes but not seeming to do much else. Yes, the explosion had done some damage, but nothing that the ninetail's chakra didn't fix right up. What ended up causing Naruto to return, at least enough that he was more in control than the fox, was the words that infuriated him.

"I hope you realize that if you don't kill me, I'll have a lot more fun with my Sakura." _The hell you will, four eyes!_ "I'll be doing things to her you could only ever dream of doing." _I won't let you lay your filthy hands on her!_ "And you know what? she'll enjoy it more than she could ever enjoy you. She'll be happy when you're dead and out of her way." _N-Nani.._ The last sentence hit the young man hard.

_Sakura chan doesn't want me out of her life...She's my best friend..._ The pink haired kunoichi's words finally started to reach him as he thought back on what she said. _**"Don't let him get in your head, Naruto!"**_ Shaking his head, the Uzumaki tried to stand up but no luck. _"No, stay this way. It makes it easier for me to attack him!"_ _Well then start attacking and stop stalling!_ "Urasai!" he yelled, immediately beginning to close the distance between them. The blond ran at the silver haired man on all fours. The chakra formed what appeared to be four tails from the back and once more, a giant and deadly paw swiped at its target until Naruto noticed something from within the abyss of his own mind. _Sakura chan! Kurama, forget him for a moment!_ _"No! After I kill him, I will rescue the girl. Not a second before..."_ _Dammit Kurama!_.

**Sasuke**

**"I am over here, brother."** Uchiha Sasuke growled in anger as he saw he'd missed his target. _Damn him!_ The thing that he'd sunken his sword into was not his brother, but a clone. With swift movements, the raven whirled around to meet his older brother, kunai in hand. It was going straight for his heart. For a moment, Sasuke's eyes widened and he jumped back, narrowly avoiding being stabbed in such a vital area. However, this did not deter him one bit. "Fireball jutsu!" The young man made hand signs and sent a giant fireball at Itachi, jumping back and grabbing hold of a paper bomb before hurling it at his target and waiting for it to explode so that he could use the kicked up sand and dirt to his advantage. _This is the day, brother. In just mere minutes, you'll be dead!_.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_Nai. Nai. Nai! This can't be happening. Naruto kun is alright...He has to be alright...Kabuto couldn't really kill him, right? I mean...That rasengan could have killed him if Naruto kun had aimed for his heart...Right..?_ Sakura was freaking out as she continued to torture herself with her own thoughts. This kind of torment was worse than Sasuke breaking every bone in her body a million times over. Emerald eyes twitching in anticipation and fear, the young woman painfully pulled herself to the crack in the door, attempting to see out of it. All she could hear was the occasional roar of Naruto/Kurama and a lot of clashing. There was even an explosion which made her mentally kill herself even more.

**"Naruto kun!"** she yelled, kicking at the door in anger. _Shimata! Kami, tatsukete!_ The young woman was screaming in her mind over and over again.

Nothing was working. To make matters worse, the seal was undone, but it wasn't who normally came in that the kunoichi laid eyes on. Sakura soon came face to face with the snake sanin, Orochimaru. This was one of the only people in her life that she truly feared.

"Tsk tsk. Kabuto and Sasuke have had so much fun with you. Now it's my turn" His words frightened and angered her at the same time. _I know I look pathetic, but does everyone really have to rub it in?_ With a defiant attitude, the kunoichi swallowed her obvious fear and reached for her pack at the hip. Too late. "Now it is time to join the others. Are you ready, Sakura?" The young woman only shook her head in response to his 'question.' She knew he didn't really want an answer, but she didn't care. The fact that there was a snake wrapping around her made this experience all the more more she struggled, the tighter she was held, but that did not stop her. Sakura did not stop struggling until they were all the way outside.

**"Put me down!"** she growled, wriggling against the thing that bound her. **"Naruto kun!"**.

"I wonder who will die first..?" Sakura ignored him. Her fear no longer mattered. Her doubts no longer mattered. Nothing mattered except calming Naruto down and making sure he didn't mess up and die. _Nai! I will __**not**__ let Naruto kun die! I will __**not**__ be that pathetic damsel anymore! I left that behind with my old life and I will __**not**__ allow it to return!_

**"Naruto kun, yamete!"** she yelled, wincing a few times as the snake tightened its hold and reminded her of her still half broken limbs. Despite the pain, she refused to cry out or even let it show. It wasn't important. Naruto was important. That was it. **"Naruto bakero! Yamate!"** Sakura could tell that her words were at least reaching the young blond because he looked towards her and she could see it in his eyes. It was still Kurama who was fighting, but Naruto could see her and that was what she cared about.

Her attention was only very temporarily diverted from her hoarse voice and the boy she so desperately sought to calm. _Sasuke kun..._ Here she was just like back then. Sakura watched her two best friends fighting. Thankfully, it wasn't each other this time, but the fact that they were fighting while she was pathetically off to the sidelines and forced to watch, it was enough to make her blood begin to boil all over again. _Sasuke kun is fighting his brother...Naruto kun is fighting Kabuto...and I'm forced to watch...Why am I so damn weak?!_ She could feel the tears stinging her emerald hues, but those were very forcefully pushed away as she bit down on her lip so hard that it drew blood. _I'm dizzy from my own yelling...Why isn't he listening to me?! Naruto kun, Sasuke kun...kurasai...yamate!_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto had chosen his words carefully. His goal was to find a way into the blond boy's head until he was too far gone to be of any threat. Although it seemed like it had worked, it actuality it hadn't. The boy had to think about it however, which meant there was still hope for his strategy.

Although visibility was still a bit of an issue, he could hear naruto rudely yelled for the silver haired male to shut up. Each step towards him rang in his ears, noticeably not the run of a normal human. This was Kurama at work. At this point, debris had fallen enough for him to clearly see a four tailed naruto charging at him..however he could also see something else that left him frozen in place. His eyes widened in surprise as they connected with the girl he had been holding captive. This was the girl that should have been locked inside of her room and away from the battlefield.

There was no confusion as to how she got here because she was not free. A snake was wrapped tightly around her, squeezing at her already damaged body. He didn't have to see Orochimaru to know it was his doing. _But why did he bring her out here, where she can be taken easier..?_

His thoughts only distracted him for a moment, but in a battle that could mean life or death. In this case, it meant neither. It did, however, mean a lot of pain. He looked back to find a paw flashed in his face and before what happened had registered within his mind he flew back and into a nearby tree. His body slammed against the trunk and a loud snap echoed nearby him. It was not the tree that broke. Although his first instinct was to heal it, there were two problems with this. Firstly, the most important factor is that if he stopped or slowed to heal himself he would be more vulnerable. The second problem was a bit more long term. The bone that had broken was in his upper back, conveniently where he couldn't reach. He inhaled deeply, a sharp pain in his side, and knew he had also had a fractured rib. _It could be worse_ was all he thought as he jumped in the opposite direction of naruto, just inches away from a fireball that shot past him and an explosion nearby.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Although his attack was quick, it was not quick enough. Sasuke managed to back away with wide eyes and avoid the kunai, however it was a narrow escape. His brother shot a fireball at him and Itachi managed to jump to the side and out of the way, shooting the same jutsu his way. He saw a kunai with a paper bomb slice through the air in his direction and jumped up into a tree branch to dodge. When the bomb exploded, sand around him impaired his eyesight slightly. However, considering his eyes had been deteriorating already, he was well adapted to fighting without perfect sight. He knew where Sasuke was and threw several shuriken in his direction. It easily cut through the debris settling around them.

_You are much faster now, Sasuke. However, not fast enough._

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

He stood there, watching the fight. Sasuke and Itachi were moving too fast for him to properly observe, so his snakelike eyes darted back and forth, following Kabuto and the jinjuriki. Although Kabuto was good at dodging, he appeared particularly useless in the physical aspect of this battle. He assumed that was mostly due to the fact that Naruto was now in four tails mode, however he was still clearly not pleased. He was even more unhappy with the outcome when his right hand man seemed distracted by something and as such took a violent blow. He flew back against the tree and for a second a look of pain flashed in his persona. However, he managed to continue dodging.

Orochimaru frowned at first, but couldn't help laughing. It erupted in his chest and spat out like a serpent about to devour its prey. The nine tails jinjuriki was enraged, even more so because his precious Sakura was here. He wondered what his reaction would be when she was dead. He was tempted to do away with her now, but her whining and screaming out "Naruto" every five seconds was amusing. Not to mention he wouldn't waste his time and energy dirtying his hands with her. Instead, it was time for him to get involved with the real battle. Snakes slithered there way from behind the blond boy in his four tailed form, ready to entangle the boy. Not expecting this attack to be successful, he himself slithered as if he were a snack, headed straight towards him.


	27. Chapter 27

**Naruto**

* * *

_"Naruto, stop fighting me!"_ Kurama hissed inside of the boy's mind while trying to force his steps over to the silver haired man that they'd managed to knock back so efficiently. _"He's down and injured! This is our time to attack!"_ _Urasai! Sakura chan needs us!_ Naruto was having an all out battle, not only on the outside, but in the abyss within. To anyone else, it appeared that the young blond was in pain. He stopped in his clear shot attack of Kabuto to stand up on two legs and move backward, slowly but surely. _We have to save her! After that, I don't care what you do!_ _"I already told you after I kill him, I'll save her! Stop fighting me!"_ _Sakura chan needs us! She's a priority, dattebayo!_ The boy grabbed his head, thrashing about violently as the two fought for control of the body. Naruto was pissed off and Kurama was even more so. _Stop. Trying. To. Take. Over!_ The blond demanded, only getting the response of a large growl.

"S-Sakura chan!" It came out as half of a roar and half of Naruto's own voice as he called out to his friend. He was trying to save her and all Kurama wanted to do was fight and kill Kabuto. Angrily, the paw swiped across the ground, uprooting a few trees and causing a lot of collateral damage to the surrounding area. More growling and frustrated cries ensued. All the young man heard was **"Naruto!"** and before he could turn around, he felt it. Warm arms around him, holding on as if he were some sort of lifeline. It was then that he realized that the chakra surrounding him was gone. Naruto was back to normal. _"If you wish to go back on our arrangement, have fun fighting alone..Naruto.."_ Kurama growled from within as he withdrew his help and sunk back into the dark abyss of his inner cage.

_[ I couldn't believe it! Sakura chan was actually hugging me, dattebayo! Hehe. I'm definitely not going to lie when I say that I was a little red. I mean, most of the time, Sakura chan was punching me in the face for something I'd done wrong or simply because she was in a bad mood and I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That girl can be pretty scary sometimes, just like grandma Tsunade. Geez, the thought makes me shudder. Demo I still couldn't believe it! Sakura chan wrapped her warm arms around me so tenderly, affectionately. I could tell in that moment that she really did care. I remember it so well. It felt so nice. The biggest shocker though was that she only called me Naruto..There was no suffix...She really was worried.. ]_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

The same jutsu was sent his way. He dodged it with ease, jumping backward just out of range. Sasuke flipped backward and ran up a nearby tree to avoid the several flying shuriken. _Hmph. Too easy. Step it up a notch brother, or you'll die!_ The raven could tell that his brother's sight had been temporarily impaired and he used that as he ran to the very edge of a branch and flew down towards Itachi, katana drawn, lighting searing through it. "Chidori!" he yelled, hoping it would connect as he landed back on the same cold earth below him.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_Shimata! Damn snake, let go of me!_ Sakura willed it to let go but it did not release her. Angrily continuing to struggle as she saw Naruto begin to go haywire along with his fluctuating chakra waves, the young woman growled aloud and focused her healing chakra into her legs. They were the weakest of her limbs and she needed them to run with. For a moment, she stopped struggling. Head hung forward as if in failure, Sakura sighed and stared at the ground with narrowed eyes. _God dammit! Why can't I ever do anything to help Naruto?! All I do is cause him trouble!_ It was then that she had an idea.

The kunoichi raised her head ever so slightly. Naruto was in trouble, that was obvious. Orochimaru was going after him. However, in the midst of her panic, Sakura noticed that the less she fought, the looser the snake was. This gave her an idea. When she was certain that it was loose enough, she tried to suddenly snap free, but that did not work. The second she made any indication, however slight it may be, of struggling, the reptile became a constrictor once more.

Sakura was furious with herself and everything around her. _How dare they use me to get to Naruto! How dare that idiot not listen to me when I tell him to leave! How dare I let all of this happen!_ On the bright side, her legs felt better, but that did not help when she couldn't even move them. _Shimata!_ she cursed again, fuming to a point that was similar to Naruto's own current state with Kurama. That was when she noticed it. Her fuming and rage was fueling her chakra unknowingly and it was harming the serpent surrounding her. Having an instant idea, the pink haired kunoichi focused her chakra to such an extent, all around the snake that kept her in place, that it set the thing on fire.

Soon after, the reptile hissed and burned away, leaving the now free young woman to fall to the ground. At first, it hurt for her still slightly injured legs to even come into contact with the earth, but she pushed that aside as she immediately forced herself up. _Come on legs, move!_ she demanded. Thankfully, they complied. Within the next few seconds, the young woman was running, her legs carrying her faster than they had in a very long time. Arms outstretched, she finally stopped in her tracks, heart racing and legs aching when her limbs wrapped around a certain blond haired friend of hers whom she'd just seen return to normal. **"Naruto!"** she called out, tightening her grip and clinging to the boy like he meant everything to her, even more than Sasuke.

**"Naruto.."** The young woman tried to catch her hitching breaths as her legs started to quake from the weight they were not yet again used to. **"Yamate..Naruto...Kurasai..."** Her breath soon came in soft whispers, leaning into her friend and tenderly holding him. _I thought I'd never see you again...Please, let's just go home and forget all of this...We have to get out of here...Fast.._ The blond turned to look at the girl, wide eyed and slightly pink in the face. His blue orbs showed his surprise even more when Sakura smiled up at him. It was the exact same, lovesick smile that she would give Sasuke on countless occasions. Nothing else mattered in those moments. Orochimaru and Kabuto were not there. It was just the two of them and Sakura wouldn't change it for the world. _Aishiteru, Naruto kun...Kurasai, let's just get out of here and go home...I want to go home with you.._.

"S-Sakura...chan...".

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The streets of Otogakure were not bustling with hurried villagers seeking food and materialistic goods like one would expect of a town. However, it was no ordinary place. There were no stands selling onigiri filled with various unimaginable flavors, no restaurants selling ramen piled with meats and vegetables of all kinds, and no crowds gathering for the first bowl of fresh yakisobi. The one thing they did have, however, was ninja. Or, as a majority of people around the world would call them, slaves. Brainwashed idiots. Bloodthirsty villains. And a good handful of sadistically inclined people. One of the most important, however, was not there. Instead, he was on the outskirts of Orochimaru's hideout. He was fighting one of the most powerful jinjiriki and at this point he knew that he was not strong enough to win this battle.

Kabuto was not egotistic and cocky like many ninja. Not usually, at least. However, he had come into this fight expecting, _needing,_ to win. It was strange, because he truly did look up to this boy he was so intent on beating. Naruto was not very intelligent or rational. He rushed into things. But it was that very thing Kabuto admired. Considering this, he shouldn't have had the urge to toy with the kid. But he wanted to do that and more. He was ready to continue fighting despite a broken rib and a upper back in immense pain. Even after narrowly dodging a ball of fire from the other battlefield, that had nearly burned his body to a crisp, he still wanted to lunge at Naruto with a new attack. Yet he couldn't. But it was not a physical barrier stopping him, not exactly. Three things had changed in the seconds that he couldn't see. First, Naruto was no longer being controlled by the kyuubi within him. Secondly, his possession was no longer held in bondage by the serpent. His toy was free. However, that in itself was not what made his eyes widen and then narrow in disgust. her arms, still injured, were wrapped tightly around the blond boy who he was so determined to defeat. That was still not why he reacted so severely; that was due was the third thing that had changed. Orochimaru was not passively watching. He was now involved. Kabuto realized specifically why Sakura had rushed towards the boy. It was to protect him from Orochimaru's blade. It had appeared to work, because that blade went straight through her lower right abdomen just as Naruto had turned around to meet her gaze.

He wasn't sure what to think. Part of him was amazed at the sight. She was willing to die for her friend. Another part of him was amused at the emotional pain that would no doubt erupt within the blond. But the biggest thought in his mind was probably how disgusted he was that her blood was spilled by someone other than him.

Orochimaru ripped the blade from her body and suddenly he was beside her. He wasn't there to save her. He wasn't a hero, he wasn't anyone's savior. She was just his prisoner. She was an annoying, pesky girl. She was a thorn in his side and caused him more trouble than good. But she was also his Sakura. And for a moment he allowed himself to look at her. Really look at her, not her wound. Not just as his prisoner, but as a person. And for a second, as he looked into her eyes, he could feel her emotions. Feel how much she cared for Naruto, her friends, and her village.. among other things. He didn't want to feel these things. He didn't care. He shook his head to himself, and looked towards Orochimaru.

_{When Orochimaru hurt you for the first time, I really began to feel conflicted. How could I be mad at the person I've pledged my loyalties to for years? My emotions were bothering me so much. Why did that look in your eyes haunt me back then? Of course I know the answer now..but if only I had realized it sooner. I was falling in love with my Sakura.}_

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

The feeling of my blade lunging into a helpless body felt amazing. However, it was not the brat I had hurt. No, it was the other one. The kunoichi with pink hair who had a habit of being annoying and getting in the way had done just that. I could help but laugh at this. I had no idea how she escaped my snake, but it was the least of my problems. Kabuto could deal with her since he wasn't strong enough to take out the real problem. And now, Naruto would be furious. Which was fine, of course. It may make him stronger, but I would have way more fun. My body was weaker than I would have liked because I was not yet ready to take my sasuke. But I had no doubts I could handle this. The boy was alone, he had no teammates to help. He wasn't even using Kurama's power anymore. This would be _easy._.

**"Kabuto..just make sure the girl doesn't escape. Not that she can."** I ordered, snickering as I turned to the nine tails brat.

**"Oh my, I doubt she'll be alive much longer. You must be angry. Sasuke and Sakura will both die by my hands..and eventually you too."**

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

He watched as his brothers blade slashed through his body. Well..not quite. Crows dispersed the area and he stepped out of hiding from behind Sasuke. He then charged at him with his kunai, trying to get him to draw his sword.

With his peripheral vision he watched the battle going on between Naruto and the others. He could only hope the boy succeeded, however truthfully it was unlikely. Naruto alone may not be strong enough. If Orochimaru was eliminated, however, it would solve many future possibilities. And that was when he noticed something. Someone else was here. It wasn't chakra he sensed, for the person who wielded it was intelligent enough to hide it. He simply happened to see a blur of white in the trees. He recognized the person instantly. _Kakashi. It seems you did not stay behind after I left. With your students' lives at risk, it would be odd if you had stayed back._


	28. Chapter 28

**Naruto**

* * *

_K-Ke nani?! S-Sakura chan, nonde?_ "Kabuto..just make sure the girl doesn't escape. Not that she can. Oh my, I doubt she'll be alive much longer. You must be angry. Sasuke and Sakura will both die by my hands..and eventually you too." _Urasai! Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you! Nai...Sakura chan...nonde...nonde..?_ Naruto's big blue orbs turned to meet with Sakura's widened and in pain emerald ones. Her expression held happiness and she smiled, holding onto him tighter, but her irises held the obvious pain she was in. The blond's own eyes shook, rage filling him as Orochimaru spoke and his best friend fell to the ground in a heap of bloodied cherry blossoms. _Urasai...Urasai..._ "Urasai, teme! Neither one of them will die because I'll kill you before that happens, you rotten bastard, RAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !".

_Kurama, you'd better wake up!_.

_"What is it, Naruto...?"_.

_Wake up and answer me, dammit!_.

_"Do not act as if you can order me around, Naruto! Cease your needless shouting and speak!"_.

_I want to reinstate our deal..._.

_"Oh? Why the sudden change of heart...?"_.

_...Do we have a deal or not?!_.

_"Very well. I'll give you my chakra...Should you go against me again, this time, I'll withdraw my assistance for good, no matter what you say..."_.

_I got it, I got it. Dattebayo! Just do it! Kill this rotten bastard! He hurt Sakura chan, __**my**__ Sakura chan!_.

The same monstrous roar returned with a vengeance. Naruto's body was soon consumed once more by a barrier of icy hot to the touch chakra. The whisker marks on his face became more apparent, teeth became fangs, ocean blue turned to blood red. Animalistic changes were happening as the young man cried out only one last time before Kurama took over completely.

"Now then...I'll show you the power of the nine tailed fox! Raaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!"

A huge paw swiped at the snake sanin, anger and the intent to kill couldn't be made more plain. "DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!" The monstrous bellowing was so loud and so powerful that it sent debris flying everywhere, even managing to throw back Kabuto and Sakura a few feet or so. _I'll kill you! No one hurts Sakura chan! I'l-_ **"Kakashi sensei..."** _K-Ke, nani?!_.

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ I had to stop Naruto. I had to get him away from Orochimaru. I had to do __**something**__! I was sick of watching from the sidelines like some helpless damsel! Sasuke kun fought to the left of me with his older brother, the one he sought to kill from the time I'd met him, Itachi. Naruto fought right in front of me with Orochimaru, the snake sanin. It was bad enough that he was getting hurt by that literal shield of chakra, but he was doing all of this for __**me**__ and __**my**__ sake. This upset me. To make matters worse, I was injured __**again**__! A swift stab through the abdomen with a rather sharp blade. The icing on top of the cake was __**you**__, Kabuto kun. You were making me so angry. Your expression confused me. I knew you did not care and yet I knew you did. I knew you loved to see me in pain, but you did not. I just __**knew**__ that you wanted Naruto to die and yet, you didn't...I had no idea at the time what this was about, but I came to find in time that this was when I was starting to care about you...The largest part of me wanted to harm you and escape, but the smallest part of me wanted to wipe that almost __**concerned**__ look from your face. Why did you have to confuse me in the midst of such an important turn of events?! Baka! ]_.

**"Naruto kun...Yama...te..."** Sakura's breath hitched in her throat as the blade was very swiftly ripped out of where it had stuck in her body. Falling to the ground in a heap of blood, the young woman gasped and green chakra glowed in her hands. _Naruto kun...Yamate...Kurasai..._ Trying to catch her breath and hide her obvious pain, the young woman began to heal herself just enough to make the pain subside. _I can't use too much of my chakra...if Naruto kun needs my help, I'd be useless without it...And I'll be damned before I allow that to happen..._ Slowly but surely, the pain started to lessen. The kunoichi let out a choked breath as blood poured over her lip and down her pale face till it splattered on the dampened ground below her.

To make matters worse, within mere seconds, _he_ was there. Kabuto's expression as his dark, onyx eyes met with Sakura's pained and stubborn emerald ones was rather confusing, to say the least. **"Kabuto san..."** The words escaped her lips before she even had a chance to forcefully drag them back in and her irises widened in shock. _Why did I say that...?_ she wondered, brows furrowing in a puzzled look as she immediately broke their eye contact and continued to heal herself. Her glowing hand hovered over the wound, wincing slightly from the lightest touch. _Oh Kami it hurts..._.

Beyond her thoughts of pain, however, were something else that she kept trying to shove into the swirling vortex in the back of her mind that acted as a black hole to rid her of information she did not need nor want. _"Stop thinking about it!"_ Inner Sakura was right. Sakura hated to admit that, but she'd been thinking about this particular subject far too much. _I have to stay focused...Naruto is in danger...He could die...I have to again free myself and help my best friend...I will stop thinking about __**him**__...I'll stop thinking that a part of him, no matter how large or small, cares in some form or fashion about me or my well being...It's not true..._.

Sakura wanted to cause this boy pain. She wanted to break his arm like Sasuke had done to her and watch him writhing on the ground at her feet while she ran to save the blond boy from his fate. Every single fiber of her whole being wanted to just make him think she was as helpless as she looked, only for her to slit his throat and watch his blood spill everywhere. Dark thoughts leaked into the pink haired kunoichi's mind and she shook her head, willing them away as her expression and eyes softened again.

_No...I don't wish him harm..demo if he gets in my way...I'll do it...I won't harm him unless it comes down to it..._.

_"You realize you'll have to do just that, maybe even kill him to get free...right..?"_.

_...Hai..._.

_"Do what needs to be done..."_.

_Yosh..._.

With her will of fire and new found determination, Sakura got a hold of herself and sat up, slowly trying to get to her feet. The pain was unbearable, but she got through it, bending one leg at a time and swearing to herself over and over that she can and **would** do this. _If he tries to stop me...Which I'm sure he will...I have to hurt him...maybe even kill him...I just have to remem-K-Ke..nani..?!_ The young woman was interrupted by a small, yet familiar presence. **"Kakashi sensei..."**.

Immediately, her hands shot to her gaping mouth and her eyes widened. Why had she said that aloud? _Oh Kami, oh Kami...I screwed up again...Maybe he didn't hear me...Kakashi sensei...Is that really you...? I hope it is...Kurasai...help Naruto kun...Oh Kami, please don't let that have been a mistake that will bite me in the ass later..._.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

Anger. Hatred. Revenge. The raven haired boy narrowed his bloody red eyes in annoyance and knowing. It was not his brother that he'd stabbed through, but another murder of crows. A small chakra was noticeable, but not important enough to get the boy's attention. Oh no, his attention was all focused upon one thing and one thing only. _Itachi...Why do you not fight me seriously...? Do you think I'm not strong enough?! Do you think I still lack hatred?!_ A kunai came at him from behind and he leaped forward to avoid it, drawing his sword in the process. _No...You wanted me to draw my weapon...you're still testing me...I'm not a child anymore...!_ In a blind rage, the younger Uchiha male turned at a forty five degree angle, feet shifting to a very familiar fighting stance. Within the next few seconds, everything was a blur. Sasuke was no longer standing in front of his brother, but behind him, sword at his neck, lightly drawing a thin line of crimson blood. "Move and I'll kill you where you stand...Itachi..." he growled, glaring daggers at the male before him. This was it. This was what he wanted. _Now scream in repentance and beg for death...Even then, I'll still not give it to you until I'm satisfied..._.

* * *

**Kakashi**

* * *

_Naruto san has been gone for an awfully long time..._ Kakashi surveyed the damage as he came closer and closer to the fighting grounds. Dead bodies were strewn in every direction. _The nine tailed fox..? Oh no...Naruto san must have been right..._ The teacher sighed to himself as he felt the pulse of some nearby Otogakure nin, only to be proven right. _Hai...He's dead..._ A deadly roar emitted throughout the forest, ringing in the man's ears and even knocking him back a few feet. _Shimata...I have to hurry. This is bad..._ Quickly, he leaped into the trees, following the debris and wreckage until _they_ were in clear sight of both his normal eye and sharingan.

There they were. All three of his students were in a battle. Well, sort of. He could see Sakura in the 'custody' of Kabuto whilst Naruto fought the snake sanin and Sasuke fought his brother. Seeing the three made his heart hurt. Kakashi let out another small sigh and his eyes softened. _Sasuke san...Naruto san...Sakura chan...What happened to Team seven...?_ Shaking his head of the irony of this entire situation, the Konohagakure nin leaped into another tree. Now he was close enough to Kabuto and Sakura to help free the girl. He drew his kunai, lifting up his head band so that his sharingan eye was visible. Closer and closer her crept until he heard it. **"Kakashi sensei..."**.

His eyes widened and he jumped back, cursing under his breath. _Shimata! Sakura chan, why did you do that?! Now this is going to be ten times harder..._ Kakashi was not at all under confident in his ability to defeat the Otogakure nin before him, but the fact that Sakura had alerted him to his presence had made it so that stealth no longer would be useful. _Sakura chan...What have they done to you...?_ Upon closer investigation, he could see how injured the girl was. Blood adorned her abdominal area, face, and hair. One of her arms was very swollen and her legs looked as if she had tumors. Needless to say, she looked in pain. _I don't know what happened here, but I'll remedy it..._.

With quick movements, the white haired male slashed his kunai in the very close proximity of Kabuto, intending to harm him and take Sakura away. Afterward, he would help Naruto and then they could all go home and forget this entire thing ever happened.

_[ Why did things never go my way? Why couldn't we all just get lost on the path of life or something? I really wanted to read my book, but Sakura chan and Naruto san were in danger...My students needed me, and I was not about to let either of them down... Damn you for getting in my way, Kabuto! It had been awhile since we fought, but damn I was not prepared for this... ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The young boy, jinjuriki of the most deadly tailed beast, was on a deadly rampage. He was swinging around carelessly in any attempt to do Orochimaru harm. He was no longer Naruto. In his rage, it appeared he had given in and gave Kurama complete control. Surprisingly, however, the silver haired male wasn't paying much attention to that particular situation. He was watching _her._ As weak as she was, she managed to heal herself enough to somewhat dull the pain. However, he doubted she could do much. Her chakra had been lower to begin with and it was clear she was conserving what she had left. A sudden gasp of air escaped her lips as she choked up blood. The crimson liquid poured down her pallor and stained the earth with a small puddle. He looked away, tempted to do something but knowing better. The one person that his mind was focused on was the one person he refused to look at any longer.

It was strange. He should be absolutely furious that someone else had harmed Sakura, but instead he felt disgusted with himself. It was ironic that he was even slightly concerned about her, considering he had his own injuries to deal with. He was still having trouble breathing and if he didn't heal his rib soon he would start coughing up blood just like her. He was just about to take care of that now, while he wasn't in battle. This was not something he enjoyed feeling, and it was all her fault. Time to start thinking of himself again. He was content on blaming her..until he heard his name.

**"Kabuto san..." **

He looked at her pathetically wounded self once more. All of a sudden his eyes narrowed in anger. Being mad at her was easier and it made more sense. She shouldn't be able to grab his attention like this, because he didn't care about her. The fact that she could made him vulnerable and that was **not** going to happen. She seemed to be confused with herself and also sensed his anger, for she looked away. He sensed her pain once more when she winced, but this time he completely ignored it. The only reason he even bothered to turn around when she started to stand was because he also sensed that she was prepared to fight him, even in her current state, in order to go help Naruto. It was rather ridiculous. How idiotic was she? She was going to die if she kept fighting. Then again, considering he hadn't healed his own wounds yet..this was probably her best idea yet. _However, she's in a worse condition due to..oh i don't know.. maybe being stabbed?_ His hand immediately reached for his kunai, prepared to fight her until necessary. Either he would kill her, or she would give up. This would be a good way to take care of his emotions, at least. However, instead of her charging towards him, her eyes widened slightly. He was confused until he heard her utter another man's name.

"Kakashi sensei.."

He was only confused for a moment longer until hearing something behind him. Then, he understood. _That is probably the biggest mistake you've made since being here, Sakura._ he thought and quickly turned around as he finally pulled his kunai out.

_**Clink!**_

The two weapons collided as he looked straight into the normal eye and sharingan of the man who had come to save the day and was about to fail because Sakura had revealed his position.

**"It's been awhile..I must say, your students are as hopeless as ever. I apologize for my Sakura, she doesn't think half of the time and tends to mess up elaborate plans."**

He swung his other hand up, now glowing with chakra, and planned on ending this quicker than he normally did by hitting his pressure points and immobolizing him, however just as he was about to come in contact with the mans neck he felt a sharp pain in his side and let out a strong cough. He jumped backwards and away from Kakashi in order to avoid an attack as suddenly he violently coughed up blood. The thick liquid fell to the ground and he instinctively covered his mouth with his hand. His blood stained the fingerless gloves her wore.

_This is not good._ If he stopped to heal himself now, Sakura would be taken from him in no time. The coughing stopped for now, but he could feel his condition worsening and the pain in his side was becoming unbearable. He clutched the source of the pain, feeling another sharp wave course through him. Not only did he not have enough time, he didn't have much chakra. He shot soothing chakra at the wound, numbing the pain. However, he was still aware of his injury and didn't have enough time to repair anything. He quickly ran at Kakashi, desperate enough to make the first move this time. His hand glowed with chakra meant to harm, not heal. He knew he wouldn't hit his target. This was a problem. He lost his chance. It would be hard to immobilize him now, and his injury was getting worse and worse. He may not be able to feel the pain right now, but that just meant his bloody death would be a gentle one.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

He had succeeded in making his brother draw his sword, however in the blur of a millisecond, he managed to dodge his attack in a way he had not expected. Sasuke's sharp blade pressed against his neck, managing to draw blood. It slowly dripped down his neck, however Itachi remained as calm as ever.

"Move and I'll kill you where you stand...Itachi..."

**"Can you?"**

His voice came from behind the trees. He watched Sasuke as Itachi released the genjutsu he had cast when he ran into the trees as the paper bomb exploded.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

He jumped back as a Kurama controlled Naruto swiped at him. Orochimaru watched as the raging boy screamed and shouted, an emotional wreck due to the damage he had caused his friend. Debris flew around them, but he could do nothing but laugh.

"Do you think you can finally kill me?" He asked, his snaked slithering around and forcing the boy to constantly dodge.

This continued on for a bit, and as he jumped up into a tree he noticed that another had joined. Kakashi had appeared sometime while he was distracted by Naruto. His eyes narrowed, seeing that Kabuto looked pathetically injured and no longer of much use in a battle. However..killing off someone even weaker than him should be no problem. This is when he realized it was time. _Not only will Naruto suffer, but her sensei as well. This has turned out better than planned. _

He quickly appeared behind the girl and in front of a charging kabuto, his snake slithering around her once more. Instead of entangling her, it hissed in her face and attempted to sink its fangs inside of her, forcing her back in order to dodge. However, Orochimaru didn't have time to kill the useless kunoichi; Naruto was coming closer. He was no doubt in an even bigger rage because he had approached his friend again. His right hand man and their prisoner stood behind the snake like man, with the jinjuriki brat and the son of the white fang in front of him. His eyes narrowed.

"Forget about him for now and get rid of her" he ordered, turning his head slightly in Kabuto's direction. "She's no longer of any use to us. Kill her and make them suffer. And be quick about it, we don't have time for your fun."


	29. Chapter 29

Note: Upon request, I stopped bolding the quotations. Sorry if that bothered anyone :)

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_I'm so sorry, Kakashi sensei! Gomenasai! Kami, tatsukete, I have to help Naruto and Kakashi sensei! If they die, it will be my fault, and I cant' live with that!_ Sakura turned with her new found determination, eyes blazing and kunai drawn. _I'll stop him here and now...He's hurt..worse than me..I can do this..I __**have**__ to do this..._ The young woman narrowed her angry eyes as she prepared to charge the injured Kabuto with all she had. He was prepared, that was obvious. She did not care, this had to be done or she'd never forgive herself later. _I can do this, dammit...Even though there is the smallest part of me that doesn't want to hurt him, it's only the medic in me...I will kill that section of my mind, at least where it involves him.._ As the young woman ran at him, Kakashi too was doing the same.

**Clink!**.

Kakashi and Kabuto clashed. Sakura stood back, not wanting to mess this up any further than she already had. She'd wait until the two were at a stalemate before interfering. _If Kakashi sensei kills him, I won't have to.._ she told herself, taking a deep breath and sending one last shot of chakra at her wounded abdomen. _Much better...The pain is almost nonexistent.._ The young woman was sent spiraling out of her thoughts as she heard something that infuriated her. _Why you!_.

"It's been awhile..I must say, your students are as hopeless as ever. I apologize for my Sakura, she doesn't think half of the time and tends to mess up elaborate plans.".

_You fucking...You know what, I no longer have any problem whatsoever killing you, or even watching you die...teme..._ The kunoichi clenched her fists and grit her teeth so hard that she was almost drawing her own crimson nectar again. Without thinking or even caring anymore, she started shouting in obvious rage.

"You teme! Shut your fucking mouth! I swear to Kami if you call me your property one more time, I'll kill you where you stand! It would be so easy considering how weak and injured you are...Not that it wouldn't be nice to see Kakashi sensei kill you...He'd be much nicer than I would...Don't act like I'm some pathetic girl who is always messing things up. I'm different now, dammit!"

Emerald orbs blazed in the girl's fury. She'd been so angry that it actually caused her chest pain and she had to take in a sharp, hitched breath to be able to continue.

When Sakura opened her mouth again, it was to cough up more blood and she stumbled, covering her mouth so that the crimson liquid was all over her sweaty palm. Her vision was a little hazy from her sudden outburst and she had to take a step back to keep from falling. Shortly afterward, she felt something or some_one_ behind her and started shaking. That presence was so familiar she could almost taste it. In both desperation and fear, the young woman turned with her kunai to attack the man behind her, but that plan was foiled by another snake getting up in her face.

"Eeep!" Sakura shrieked as the thing coiled around her, but instead of constricting her like before, it hissed in her face and struck at her with its sharp fangs. To avoid being bitten and poisoned, she weaved to the side, but that ultimately caused her to go tumbling backward to the ground. "Sakura chan, run!" she heard, head spinning and vision getting blurry again. "Itaii.." "Forget about him for now and get rid of her. She's no longer of any use to us. Kill her and make them suffer. And be quick about it, we don't have time for your fun." The pink haired kunoichi heard those words and her emerald hues widened as she dodged the snake's jaws once more, stabbing it with her kunai in the neck and relentlessly ripping it right back out. _There. That gets rid of __**that**__ problem.._ she thought, quickly getting to her feet despite her spiraling mind.

"RAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! GET AWAY FROM SAKURA CHAN!" Sakura looked up, distracted from her previous endeavors by the young blond who came towards them at full speed. It was half and half again. Naruto was clearly present, but Kurama was mostly in control. _Naruto kun, nai! If you get hurt because of me, I'll never forgive myself!_

"Stay back, Naruto kun!" she ordered, ignoring his angry cries as she whirled back around to deal with her current problem.

_I won't die here..Not today..I won't let that happen..I won't let Kakashi sensei and Naruto kun suffer like that.._.

* * *

**Kakashi**

* * *

Kakashi jumped back, narrowly avoiding being hit with that dangerous chakra of Kabuto's. _Shimata..Why doesn't she run?! Matte..Her legs..She's far too injured to go anywhere..Hang tight, Sakura chan, this will be over soon.._ The Otogakure's words both frustrated and made angry the man before him. "My students have both become fine ninja..." he began, masking his irritation with his naturally calm voice. He noted the possessiveness in the young man's voice when he spoke of Sakura and that made him wonder just exactly what had happened, but he did not care to ask right now. "Sakura chan is not-" And he was interrupted by, speak of the devil, Sakura's angry outburst. _She needs to calm down..If she doesn't stop moving around so much and getting so flustered, she could really hurt herself...possibly even pass out if she's dizzy enough..Judging by her stumbling around, she's not far from doing just that.._.

Kakashi's hands were soon glowing, not with chakra, but with lightning. _I only have one shot at this..._ he thought, charging toward the silver haired man. "Lightening blade!" Too little too late. Orochimaru was there and a snake took the hit that was meant for Kabuto. _Shimata!_ The white haired nin jumped back, kunai drawn once more and prepared to strike. _Orochimaru..Why isn't he fighting Naruto san..?_ And then it hit him. The snake sanin's words cut through him like that sword had cut through Sakura's tender abdomen. _He's going to kill her?! Nai! She's too far away for me to be able to get to her before he does...This isn't good..Naruto san, do something!_.

Even though Kakashi knew that he was too far away and wouldn't make it, he ran anyway. "Sakura chan, run!" he commanded, watching the young woman stumble around and try to regain her balance. She looked prepared to fight and that confused him. _What in the hell is she doing?! Does she want to die?! Run, baka!_.

* * *

**Naruto**

* * *

Naruto roared in anger as he and Kurama charged relentlessly at the cocky snake sanin. An annoyance of a serpent was striking at them, forcing them to constantly dodge and keeping their attention off of their true target.

_"I grow tired of this, Naruto!"_.

_Then act! Kill this thing and get to Orochimaru! Dattebayo!_.

_"Don't order me around!"_.

The large, fox like paw swung down and disintegrated the snake almost immediately. It was no match for the swirling shield like chakra around the blond. Growling, Naruto ran at his true target, the snake now out of his way. Too late. _Where did he go?!_ Kurama and Naruto simultaneously asked each other, blood red eyes darting around the field until they landed on Orochimaru once more.

_What is he doing..?_.

_"I can't read lips, how should I know?!"_.

_Lay off, Kurama. You're too touchy.._.

_"Order me around one more time, I dare you..."_.

_K-Ke, nani?! He's going after Sakura chan! Kurama, do something, now!_.

_"Shimata, I told you to stop ordering me! I'll kill him and he won't harm the girl!"_.

That was all it took before the young man came barreling towards the others. As expected, his rage increased ten fold and his running speed doubled to what it was normally. Still on all fours, he leaped into the air and landed with a large thud about twenty feet from the rest of the group. Sakura was in big trouble.

_N-Nani?! He's going to kill her! Kurama!_.

_"He's too close...Even with my speed, it's uncertain as to whether or not we'd make it in time..Besides, if you touch her as you are now, you'll harm her.."_.

_Teme! You knew that all along, didn't you?!_.

_"Ungh...I wasn't thinking about it particularly. Your master is closer than I. Perhaps he'll stop it.."_.

_Kurama, I swear I'm going to kick your ass after I save her!_.

"GET AWAY NOW!" the deep and growling voice rang out, paw in the air poised and ready to strike. _Sakura chan, run, kurasai! Now isn't the time for you to act brave!_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

"Can you?".

_Shit!_.

**BOOM!**.

The paper bomb exploded as the genjutsu disappeared. Sasuke flipped back, narrowly avoiding losing a limb. Anger boiling, he charged his hand again, prepared to send a second chidori into his palm until he heard something that finally distracted him. Naruto's roar. It was so loud and intense that it caused his gaze to shift backward. _Just what is going on over there?!_ he wondered, jumping into a tree to get a better look. _Of course...Sakura chan is a nuisance, as usual..All of this over her..Hmph.._ With his answer, the raven no longer cared what was going on to the side of him and he jumped down, blade pointed at his brother.

"Can I, you ask...Of course I can..It's what I've been training to do for years..It's what I've waited for...What I've wanted.."

A deranged look made its way onto the young man's pale face, giving him the appearance of a psychotic maniac, which is what he basically was at the moment.

"Die, nii san!" he growled, thrusting his palm forward as he sped toward the older male in front of him. _Just die already!_.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

He had been able to trap his little brother in a gentjutsu. His aim was not to kill him, considering that his death was the last thing Itachi wanted. However, the explosion had nearly stolen a limb from Sasuke. His speed had saved him from such fate. His intense red eyes followed his brothers movements as he jumped into a nearby tree. Loud noises were going on nearby, and with a glance in the direction Itachi realized what it was. Naruto was quite literally losing control, however ironically it was likely that he was doing so on purpose, willed to by his anger and protective instincts. The pink haired kunoichi, friend to Naruto and former friend to Sasuke, seemed to be in trouble. For a moment, he wondering if Sasuke was worried for her. But no, that wasn't it. In fact, he seemed anything but. Instead, his brother leaped down from the branch and pointed his sword at him.

"Can I, you ask...Of course I can..It's what I've been training to do for years..It's what I've waited for...What I've wanted.."

A passion to kill was present, more so than ever. He shouted furiously as he sped towards the older Uchiha. As calm as ever, Itachi quickly lowered his body enough to reach under and grab onto the sword's handle as it neared him. He used the leverage as momentum to push himself back, and with a quick blur of his hands he blew fire from his lips and out towards his brother.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Sakura was _his_ and Kabuto was pleased to let everyone know it. However, his cherry blossom was not as enthusiastic. Considering the situation she was in, he was almost surprised to hear every idiotic word spill from her lips. Almost, but not quite. This was her usual behavior after all, and in the time she has been here very rarely did she understand when it was best to stay quiet. And if she did understand, she ignored her common sense. She was much like her blond friend in that sense.

Although he heard her words, he didn't acknowledge them. He wasn't trying to be rude, honestly, his current situation was just a tad bit more important at the moment. Although he heard her coughs, he didn't acknowledge them either. He was dead set on not paying attention to anything except..well..his slowly deteriorating condition and the powerful lightning chakra heading straight towards him threatening his immediate doom if he didn't manage to dodge.

_{Did I mention that at the time, I estimated my odds of survival at maybe 10 percent? Fighting Kakashi was not easy, however if I was in good health I wouldn't have worried. But..well..I wasn't. I hadn't accounted for the events that were to come.}_

Kabuto clenched his kunai tightly and prepared to defend himself when a hissing noise echoed around them, followed by a girlish squeal. At the same time, a snake slithered its way in between himself and Kakashi, blocking him from the chidori. Now was the time to acknowledge the situation behind him. As he had assumed, Orochimaru appeared to save him; Surprising, however, he looked slightly worn out himself. Naruto was not an easy opponent right now, even for the sannin. His eyes then drew over to the kunoichi blossom.

A second snake had made its appearance while Kabuto had been busy. This snake was not meant for protection, but instead hissed and attacked Sakura. Her attempt at dodging was futile and put her in an even worse position.. Literally. She stumbled to the ground in a heap of battered weakness, cuing a shout from the white haired sensei of hers. He ordered her to run, and although the old Sakura would have obeyed, this new and older Sakura seemed to always want to prove that she wasn't weak. Since he was by far the closest to her at the moment, he suspected he was the only one without a sharingan who could see just how dazed she was. She appeared in and out of reality, blinking slowly, and seemed close to losing consciousness. Although he wasn't that far off yet, he was worse internally. He just knew how to hide it as best as he could.

And then, he heard _those_ words. _That_ order. Truly, he should have expected it. There was never a doubt in his intelligence. Once someone lost their usefulness, Orochimaru wouldn't keep them around much longer. It was very clear who had done just that. So why had the command caught him off guard? Why did these words chill him to his very core?

"Forget about him for now and get rid of her. She's no longer of any use to us. Kill her and make them suffer. And be quick about it, we don't have time for your fun."

Why did his eyes widen in unspoken shock? Why did his whole being become rigid and stiff? For a moment, he couldn't even speak. His mind was, for once, completely silent.

Over the years, he had discovered how to judge whether or not he should say something. It didn't mean he always listened to his rationality, but he knew how far to challenge a situation before it was time to stop. As Sakura would say, he knew just how far to push someones buttons. And at this moment in time, he knew it was not the time to do it. There was no 'but' or 'maybe' with this order. It was simply 'do'. And after gaining his composer, that is what he began to do.

"Hai, Orochimaru sama." he replied, gripping the kunai in his hand even tighter as he turned to his Sakura, who quickly rose from the ground despite the condition she was in. In that same second, he quickly appeared behind her.

The immense anger rolled off of Naruto in powerful boy shouted and demanded he leave his friend alone. However, Sakura was not involving the blond, that much was clear. _He will hate me more than ever after this._

She spun around, determination in her eyes. Still, willpower alone was not enough this time. The second their eyes connected, his foot connected with her midsection and kicked her roughly into a nearby tree. She loudly smacked against the bark and at this rate, he knew she would die. Even If she somehow managed to run and escape, she was too low on chakra to heal herself much further. Internal and external bleeding would slowly, but surely, kill her. Yet his ordered were not to have her bleed to death. His orders were to kill her quickly and not have fun. But as he slowly approached her, he couldn't help but wonder. _Is this fun?_ He couldn't tell. When it came to his current emotions, he had no clue. He didn't want to think about it, and eagerly pushed it out of his head.

He heard more shouts. He could feel her allies running towards them to save her. But although his mind was slowly processing every movement, in reality this was happening much too quickly for them to stop him. Very soon after her body shot against the tree, he was there. His hand thrust forward, but it was not to punch her. Instead, it arrived gently on her heart. This was meant to be quick, and what quicker way to kill her than from her source of life. He fully planned on ending it right here with his chakra. He could perform the most precise internal cut and end her life. But just as he was about to, something unexpected jostled him.

Her heartbeat.

The palpitations of her racing heart pulsed in his hand, pumping blood out and inside to various parts of her body. However, that was just simple biology. It was the electricity that felt so strangely natural yet was anything but that sped through his hand. He felt more alive than ever, and for once it wasn't due to the thrill of inflicting pain. He didn't want this feeling, but at the same time he craved it. As he looked down into her emerald orbs, he allowed himself to wondering if somehow she could feel this too, or if he was just borderline insane.

This was bad. This was very, very bad. He had to kill her. But every time he willed his chakra to do its duty, he stopped himself. His eyes softened as his conflicting thoughts revealed themselves.

"I'm sorry.." he apologized, to who he wasn't sure. Perhaps it was to Orochimaru for this hesitation, or more likely to himself for his new found sudden realization that he couldn't. He had to, but he couldn't. Willpower was on her side once more. He wanted to kill her more than anything. So why couldn't he?

With one small glance behind him, he knew he had to do it now, or it would never happen. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to kill her. And in that second, he acted. However, much to his dismay, his action didn't lead to her death. No, instead they disappeared with a puff of smoke. In almost an instant, they were a couple of minutes further into the woods.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

He anticipated this girls death. Normally he didn't particularly care whether someone lived or died unless they were a nuisance, but this was especially exciting because so many people were here to watch. He wondered how Sasuke would handle it, but considering the boy he had grown to be these last few years, there was little doubt in his mind that he wouldn't care. And of course, there was Kabuto, but he needn't worry about him. Kabuto was loyal, despite some of his questionable actions. Orochimaru watched as he kicked the girl and prepared her for her death. And when his hand shot forward, Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh darkly at this girls demise.

However, she wasn't dead.

_How can she not be dead yet? Kabuto, kill her already. I'm getting tired of this game._

His right hand man glanced back, and his eyes narrowed. This was why Orochimaru assumed that this was it. He looked ready to kill. Except..that is not what happened. He was expecting a dead girl at their feet and received a puff of smoke and two ninja missing in action.

The serpant like man stared at the now empty space, his eyes widening in more surprise than he had felt in a long time.

"Kabuto?" he questioned, and received no answer.

"Kabuto!" he reasserted, this time shouting. His eyes narrowed in fury, realizing that this man just sneaked off with the kunoichi. _How dare he..how dare he. After all I have done for him, and he betrays my orders now. When he comes back, he will discover that he has defied me one too many times. _

_Of course he will come back..I've no doubt. I need him far too much to let him slip away. Why would he pull this so suddenly? What nonsense. All for some toy that he'll get rid of eventually. This would intrigue me if I were not so angry._

"It appears our little skirmish will have to be put on hold for now, while I fetch my medic nin and kill yours." he stated, calmly walking in the direction the boy and his play toy ran off in.


	30. Chapter 30

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura had pulled herself to her feet. She had managed to make herself continue to fight, live on, not give up, so why did she feel like she was so ready to just pass out and allow herself to die? _Nai!_ The inside of the young woman's mind screamed at her, jolting her thoughts away and pulling her back into her current hellish reality. Assessing the situation, the kunoichi determined this one thing true. At the order that was given, if you considered for but a moment that Kakashi was much too far away to do anything, Naruto was too out of it to probably even be sensible enough to do something, and Kabuto was already pretty close to her in itself, she had no way out of this. Sakura was damned if she fought back, damned if she didn't. The thought of that frightened her. She wasn't ready to die. _I __**can't**__ die...Kakashi sensei and Naruto kun would suffer knowing that they were helpless to do anything...Surely there is a way ou-Oomph!_ So lost in thought had the young woman been, that she hadn't even realized Kabuto appear behind her.

When she whirled around, simply out of muscle memory and reaction to someone attacking her, their eyes met. Emerald glued themselves on dark onyx and the second they did, she went flying. Sakura hit the tree bark with a large _Thud_ noise, falling to the ground in front of her on her hands and knees. _Itaii...Kami, that hurts..._ By this point, the rosette began to cough up blood again from the impact. She looked up in a split second, only to see Kabuto above her, intent to kill very clear. This was not the problem. His intent was obvious, but his eyes held confliction and so did his facial features. This confused the young woman further. Almost instantly, his hand was at her heart and the girl's eyes widened in both fear and realization. _I am going to die...This is it...Gomen, Kakashi sensei, Naruto kun..I wasn't strong enough..Kabuto san, you win...Check and mate.._ Sakura shut her eyes tightly, heart racing as she attempted to prepare herself for her imminent demise, but that was not what came.

"I'm sorry.." was all she heard before they were no longer in the area they had been before. Daring to open her still very much frightened orbs, Sakura blinked several times and channeled some of her healing chakra into her abdomen where she'd been kicked. She coughed a few more times, vision becoming blurry as she tried to open her mouth and speak.

"Non..de..?" she questioned, hands on her aching body and eyes glued to her captor, but in a strange way, her savior as well. "What are you doing, four eyes..?"

Her questions were through choked breaths as she attempted to keep herself breathing. _I don't want to pass out.._ she groaned internally. _I'm so confused...Kami, what's going on..? Why did he save me..? He looked very much ready to kill me, demo, you have always been one to toy with my mind, haven't you, Kabuto san..?_ Angry and confused, the dazed young woman tried to get to her feet, but to no avail.

The second she stood up, she fell right back down. Her backside hit the damp earth with a 'thunk' and she groaned in pain, shaking her dizzy head. _Shimata, I can't see...My vision is so blurry...My head is spinning.._ "Don't just stand there all silent and poised, answer my-" And that was when she couldn't stay awake any longer. Sakura fell forward in one swift motion and ceased to know consciousness.

_[ I had no idea what was going on then. I was certainly not prepared for what I'd have to deal with now that I wasn't dead, but I still think it was better than what Sasuke kun had done to me. Kabuto confused me, and I was scared, and angry. Every fiber of my being ached, and it wasn't until I finally felt the lights go out that I realized just how long it would be before I got to see Naruto kun and Kakashi sensei again, not because they died or I died, but because of what happened after all of this madness. Thank Kami it's different now, for at first, I wasn't sure what to think.. ]_.

Naruto/Kurama.

_Sakura chan, nai! Kurama, do something!_.

_"I told you, I can't! I wouldn't get close enough!"_.

_Nai, nai! Sakura chan can't die! I won't let her!_.

_"I see...Good luck, Naruto.."_.

Kurama relinquished his control over the blond, fading back into the dark abyss that was his sealed cage. Truth be told, he cared not for Naruto's friend, but he had promised he'd do what he could to help. He had kept his promise, now it was Naruto's job to do the rest. "Sakura chan!" Naruto shouted, getting off of his hind legs and running at full speed. He was close, Kakashi was closer, but Kabuto was closest. The blond watched in horror as Kabuto kicked Sakura very roughly into a tree. Her body smacked against it and he could have sworn her heard a bone or two break just from the sheer impact of it.

The girl was hurt. His crush, his friend, _his_ Sakura was in pain and going to die. _I can't just sit here and watch this! I have to at least try!_ Immediately, the blond made quick hand signs. Two other clones of himself appeared and one began to form the all too recognizable rasengan in his hand. As Naruto drew near, he had almost gotten it. _Almost there...Hang on, Sakura chan! I won't let you die! Dattebayo!_ "Rasengan!" he yelled, but only blew the tree to kingdom come. The blond stopped in his tracks, blue orbs widening and trembling at the same time. _Where did she go?! Where did he take her?! Rotten teme!_.

Naruto whirled around, looking in every direction. His nervous eyes darted around every which way. No sign of them. All that had happened was the two had disappeared in a puff of smoke.

_"Kabuto? Kabuto!"_ Orochimaru seemed pretty pissed off, but not nearly as pissed off as Naruto. "Where did he go?!" he asked seemingly no one, getting in front of the snake sanin to block his path. "Oh no you don't, Orochimaru! Kakashi sensei, find Sakura chan.." was all the young man said. To his surprise, the older man did not argue with him. Kakashi nodded and quickly headed off in the direction that he suspected Kabuto and Sakura to have gone off in.

Watching as his teacher sped off, the blond returned his attention to Orochimaru. "I don't know what's going on here, demo you're not getting anywhere near Sakura chan, you snake! You'll have to go through me first. Dattebayo!".

* * *

**Kakashi**

* * *

_Where could they have gone..?_ He wondered, jumping through the trees and keeping a close eye out for the two of them. _Orochimaru ordered him to kill her, yet he hesitated..He almost seemed like he was having to force himself to do so..Just what is going on here..?_ Shaking his head of his trivial train of thought, the older male pushed himself faster and faster. He had to find Sakura. It was the only way of knowing if she was alright or not. _Come on, Sakura chan..Kurasai be alright..I don't know what's going on here, demo I'll rescue you and we can all go home together.._.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

The younger Uchiha growled in his rage. He thrust his sword forward, only to have the leverage used against him. When Itachi spewed forth a fireball, Sasuke jumped back and did the same. Afterward, he ran through the smoke and charged his hand with electricity. "Chidori!" he yelled, aiming to use the smoke from both of their attacks as a way to easily cut through his brother's defenses and kill him. _This will be over soon..I just know it.._ He had no ounce of care about what was going on beside him. All Sasuke knew was that there was a lot of commotion. Okay, so maybe he was just _slightly_ curious, but that was it. _It doesn't matter. I can't afford to lose my focus now..I have to kill him..I have to..I am an avenger!_.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

A fireball simultaneously shot towards Itachi at the same time the elder Uchiha shot his own. Although both of them easily dodged such an attack, the smoke caused by the fire proved to be problematic. He could barely see, not to mention his deteriorating eyes made it no easier, but right before an attack hit him, he saw his little brother. In his hand was a powerful chidori. Right before it connected with his chest, however, sharingan met sharingan and a random memory electrified his mind.

He remembered it clearly. The wavering scent of fresh, fancy cuisine as well as the delightfully sinful scent of unhealthy deserts and salty soups like ramen with its thick sauce and noodles piled high with various meats and treats. However, Itachi rarely submitted to these morbid foods. Instead, he often enjoyed something his mother made at home. It was simple, yet elegant and very difficult to make. It was onigiri.

A couple of years after Sasuke was born, his mother decided it was time to teach her eldest son how to cook. His father didn't agree. It was Itachi's duty as the next in line to focus solely on the uchiha ninja way. At first, he agreed. It wasn't that he didn't want to cook, but he thought it would be better suited if she simply teach Sasuke when he was old enough to learn. Itachi would never have the time for such things. However, Mikoto persuaded him.

"Itachi, I think Sasuke would rather learn from you. He admires you so much, and you never do get to spend much time with him. Your father has you doing so many things for the clan, but now your mother is asking you to do this for the family. Could you find some time?" she had asked him with a smile. He had agreed, and one day when his father was away, his mother sat him down and showed him how to form a rice ball.

"...and you see? Now, it's much more difficult than it looks. You have to cook the rice just right; it can't be too sticky or too dry. You can make some more while I cook the rice, and when you're ready, we can switch."

He had done as she asked, forming the rice together in perfectly circular shapes that were all about the same size. Soon there was no more rice to use, and so she gently pulled him closer.

"Make sure to constantly stir it like this, okay? And then you add this..and this.. mmhm.."

When the rice looked right to him, the young Itachi poured it into a bowl for his mother to use. While he continued to cook another batch, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She dipped her hands in salty water and gracefully formed a triangle out of the sticky rice. After puncturing a delicate dent, she scooped some of the filling and placed it inside. She then covered it with rice until it could not be seen and wrapped it in seaweed. Hers looked perfect, and determination swelled within Itachi.

**"May I take your place?" **he asked, speaking for the first time since they started. She appeared shocked for a moment, as if she wasn't expecting him to speak, but then a smile grew on her features. "Of course.'"

He then began forming onigiri of his own, making sure to follow her example completely. By the time all the rice was gone, the triangle shapes he made perfectly mirrored that of his mothers. He stared at his creations and smiled slightly. Without being asked to, he began to clean up. He didn't mind. But his mother protested. "Thank you, Itachi, but I can do this. Go take some origiri to your little brother."

He hesitated for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. Purposefully picking out several of the rice balls he had formed, he placed them on a plate and headed towards Sasuke's room. When he opened the door, he expected to see his little brother laying in bed. It was getting dark outside, and so this worried him. Placing the plate on a dresser in his room, he ventured quietly ventured outside and looked around. There was no one, and so he ventured further. Until finally, his feet carried him to a spot he often trained in. That was where he saw none other than a five-year old Sasuke carefully throwing around shuriken, trying to hit a tree. Itachi quietly sat down on a nearby log and watched while hidden by the shadow.

Sasuke was still very young, but he had determination pulsing through his veins. Still, he lacked in experience. His little brother craved this experience from Itachi, however he was unsure of how to proceed this. Not only did he have little time to do so, but it troubled him that he may be looking up to the wrong person.

In the end, he never did approach his brother that night. He waited and followed him back home to assure his safety. When the younger Uchiha retreated to his room, it surprised him to see a plate of onigiri sitting on his dresser. He had assumed his mother cooked them for him while he was out training to become more like Itachi. Not once did he think it possible that his older brother made these for him cross his mind. Itachi never would have the chance to teach his little brother how to cook.

Of course now, due to his death, he never would. But he wasn't dead yet. It was not his time. He quickly dodged to the right, the lightning chakra barely grazing his skin, and jumped down into a tree. He knew this fight had gone on long enough, especially after allowing a memory to consume his mind for that moment. He was Itachi Uchiha of Konaha, and he would do his very best to continue on his path in life. He would not stray, and thus, he could not allow his thoughts to stray to what once was. Instead, he must focus on what could be.

* * *

**Orochimaru**

* * *

He was interrupted on his way to retrieve his medic by none other than the blond jinjuriki who was no longer consumed by , the snake-like man wasn't worried. Kabuto needed him, so there was no doubt he would return. Because without him, Kabuto was nobody.

"I don't care what happens to your kunoichi friend now, but I guess I'm far too busy here to leave. But without the help of Kurama, you're hopeless. Nothing more than an interestingly hopeless brat."

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The captivating and endless forest that enclosed the area in various shades of deep and bright green hid the world around them. There was no escape save the spaces where light filtered through the top branches. The moment his feet landed in the small field encased in the trees, he inhaled the thick fragrance of plants and earthly herbs. However, Kabuto was not here to collect medicinal ingredients as he had been the day he ran into a certain pink haired kunoichi attempting to steal a certain notebook containing forbidden information. This time, the only noises were the rustling of leaves in the wind and the breathing of two people who didn't belong here. He was one of them. The other was the very prisoner whose life had been in his hands. The very girl he couldn't force himself to kill. But oh, how he had wanted to. In most ways, he still did. But a very humane, sympathetic side of him had decided to dominate. That was the only way he could explain it, of course. Why else wouldn't he kill Sakura?

_His_ Sakura.

No words came from his lips as she questioned him, for he could do nothing but stare at her silently. Her coughing was worsening, her condition deteriorating. She demanded answers from him, answers he couldn't give. He didn't want to, either. He watched her struggle to stand, and as soon as it seemed she was able to, she fell back down and groaned in pain from the injury he had caused her without regret. He could tell that she was becoming annoyed at him, when at the very least she could have been grateful.

"Don't just stand there all silent and poised, answer my-" she insisted, however was cut short by her own failure at continuing consciousness any longer. She fell over on the mossy earth and he looked away, completely ignoring her presence as he began to heal his cracked rib.

_I couldn't care less about her condition. She's alive, isn't she?_

He took in a deep breath, clenching his teeth at the pain and forced back a violent cough that almost made its appearance. Now that he was alone, aside from his unconscious cherry blossom, and no longer in battle, he didn't have to worry about showing his discomfort. Although it pained him, the healing chakra did its work and as soon as he healed his rib enough so that it wouldn't be doing more damage he moved on to his lung. There was only so much he could do, and although it still hurt, he would live. He glanced back over at Sakura. _Is she still breathing?_ Kabuto slowly approached the body that lay silently on the ground and settled beside her. Without hesitation and purely due to curiosity, he reached out to her neck to feel her pulse. He had to wait a moment, but eventually felt something. A very small something. His onyx eyes looked down at her weak body, and he felt as if he was given a second chance. If he sat here and did nothing, she would die eventually. He could return to Orochimaru, apologize, and explain that he just wanted to have more fun with her. However, it wasn't in him to ignore a dying person. But her death would be the solution to his problems, so he could make an except this time? Right?

Wrong.

His hands glided along her body, running down her arm until meeting her midsection. Her crimson blood stained his medical hands, but it didn't bother him. He was well used to the feel of that thick liquid. What bothered him was what he was about to do. His eyes narrowed, angry at himself.

_Why can't she just die? She's making my life more difficult than it has to be, and now she's ruined all my plans. I'm sorry Orochimaru sama, I didn't plan for this. My pawn made it all the way to the other side of the board and chose to save her. What a wasted move. All toys must break eventually, and she is no exception. Hopefully next time someone will try to kill her when no medic is around. _

Suddenly, he swore he sensed a presence nearby. His head shot up and he looked through the small openings between the trees. His eyes scanned the area, but he saw nothing. _It seems I'm becoming rather paranoid as well.._ he thought, letting out a sigh as he returned his gaze to the female before him.

"My cherry blossom..heh. It appears you've grown on me more than I anticipated. You're very lucky I couldn't kill you, but luck always runs out. I'll just have to keep you as my personal pet until I can." he uttered softly, mostly to himself. His hands began glowing with the radiance of his chakra as he began healing one of her many injuries. Although he couldn't stop himself from curing the internal war inside her, he knew he was no savior. _I will be back, Orochimaru sama, but not until I've completed my order._


	31. Chapter 31

My friend and I deeply apologize for the wait. We've been busy lately..but we're so glad to get this chapter out.

Let's all take a moment to appreciate my saku chans amazing writing skills. She doesn't believe me when I say she's an amazing writer.. but she is, ne?

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

_[ I could vaguely hear pieces of the words he spoke to me from somewhere in the abyss of my unconscious mind. I could feel my condition worsening. I actually thought in that time that I was going to die. I barely had any chakra and my wounds were too deep and too many to heal them all. Every single fiber of my being ached and I almost wished I could just die so I wouldn't have to feel the pain any longer. However, that was not an option. I had to stay alive for Naruto kun and Kakashi sensei. I would not let them suffer. The only thing I had to do was will myself to wake up. I hadn't really been ready for what I woke up to, demo it's not really all that important anymore. Or maybe it was. I digress. ]_.

"Kami, my head..."

The young cherry blossom awoke a long time later in a very familiar looking area. Emerald hues slowly opened up and darted around the room like a frightened rabbit looking for its predator. Slowly but surely, she sat up and noticed that one of her largest wounds was healed to a considerable point, which made her remember what had happened. _That's right..We were there on a battlefield. Naruto kun was fighting Orochimaru, Kakashi sensei was fighting Kabuto san, and I was sitting on the sidelines like some useless girl..._ The thought made her angry and Sakura slammed her fist against the bed on which she sat. Not the smartest idea when one was already in a large amount of pain.

"Itaii.." she mumbled, shaking her now sore hand and dealing with the consequences of an uncomfortable tingling sensation.

Now that she had fully opened her eyes and began to pay attention, Sakura noticed that this was not the same room where she'd been held prisoner so recently ago. _It looks the same, demo it's different.._ Shaking her pounding head, the dizzy kunoichi stared toward the door. _I wonder.._ Slowly, she placed one foot on the ground and tried to put weight on it. It held, so she continued with her other leg. It also held. However, when she stood up on them both simultaneously..

"Kyaa!" she soon fell over into a clumsy heap on the cold, stone floor. "Baka..." she mumbled angrily, referring to the young man who had done such damage to her legs to begin with.

Using her good arm, the cherry blossom pushed herself back up, at least on her knees so she could stop her reeling headache from causing her anymore pain. If she stayed still, she did not feel it. If she moved, it was as if she had one of those legendary hangovers of Lady Tsunade's. _Kami, what have I gotten myself into..?_ she questioned herself again, crawling back to the bed and pulling herself up. _Good thing my arm strength is pretty good, or this would be very difficult.._.

That made her remember something else. _Matte! Kabuto san..He was fighting Kakashi sensei, hai...and he almost killed me..demo, he didn't...Nonde..?_ This was going to bother Sakura a great deal. _He's talked about how he enjoys toying with me, he's said many times how he would enjoy killing me, he's even gone as far as to call me his possession...and yet he didn't kill me..He said he was sorry, demo who was he apologizing to? Orochimaru? Why didn't he kill me when he had the chance to...? I even distinctly remember being in the woods before everything went black..He saved me..in a weird way..he even had a second chance when we were in the forest. Why didn't he take it? Not that I'm ungrateful. I rather enjoy breathing and living, demo this doesn't make any sense! Is this really so that you can continue to toy with me? That look in your eyes...It was one of the intent to kill.._ Her thoughts were obviously bothering her. It was obvious that the boy who had saved her was no hero, but that did not explain why he chose to ignore a command from someone he so highly respected. _Especially when his command was to kill me.._.

_Naruto kun, Kakashi sensei..They must be so worried..Maybe they think I died..What if I never see them again..?_ This caused the smallest hint of panic to rise in the young woman and she quickly began to study her surroundings. This was much like her other 'living conditions' from before. She could move about freely, or at least she could when her limbs weren't half broken. She still had free use of her chakra, albeit that she didn't have much of it to use, certainly not enough to do any damage to her captor. The door still had a seal on it that was obvious not going to get broken anytime soon. That only left one thing to question. _Where is he and what is he planning...?_.

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

The raven haired boy growled as his attack missed. It was so close. _What is he doing?!_ Sasuke questioned in his mind, angrily. _Is he distracted..?_ The younger Uchiha knew that look in his brother's eyes. Itachi was thinking about something, very long and hard. _He thinks he can keep avoiding me, even if he's distracted like this?! He's not taking me seriously!_ The blood-red sharingan eyes narrowed in disgust and malice. Itachi leaped into a tree and Sasuke followed. The young man did briefly remember how there was a point in his life where he'd have given anything to even train with his brother. Not fighting like they were now, but just training and having a good time.

_That can never be.._ he thought, angry with himself for allowing his mind or anything else to distract him. _It can never be and I won't think about it! I have to kill him now or I won't ever get the chance!_ The raven did not like using the same attack more than once in a row, but desperate times called for desperate measures. _That last attack at least grazed the skin. If he stays distracted, he's dead!_ "Chidori!" Sasuke's hand glowed with a deadly electricity as he followed his brother quickly into the trees. Palm shot forward toward the older Uchiha's heart, and this time, Itachi was not going to escape him. _Goodbye, brother.._.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Not only could he feel in his heart that it was time to leave, but all rationality in him told him the same. Itachi was intelligent, fast, and even strong. His one weakness was his lack of stamina. Especially due to the recent state of his health. This battle had gone on long enough. He had gathered enough sense of Sasuke's ability, and the next time they met would most likely be time for the elder brother's death. But not yet. There was still more to do. He landed in a tree, fully prepared to leave. Yet he had made the mistake of turning his back on his brother. Itachi had assumed he was fast enough to simply leave, however Sasuke's determination would not let that be so. Itachi was physically tired, and although he would not let that show, it affected his movements. By the time he heard and sensed the attack, all he could do was turn his body to meet crimson red eyes and the ninjutsu headed straight for his heart.

He blocked the attack with his bare hands, literally grabbing a hold of sasuke' an attack like this was not good, however it was the best he could do at the moment. He felt the piercing chakra burn his skin and drain his body. The pain was intense, but he was too used to pain by letting it show. The only sign was the actual damage on his hand and the clenching of his teeth as he pushed Sasuke back.

"Maybe next time, Sasuke" he said quietly, not even sure if his words had been heard, and quickly sped off into the distance.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

Kabuto's footsteps echoed throughout the empty place. There was not a soul nearby, and even the outside winds were silent.

There were many hideouts scattered throughout the world , and for good reason. Orochimaru had to have secret places to go when the previous site became useless As such, places that had become inhabited too many times would be deemed 'abandoned'. Few ninja ever stepped foot near one of them. Kabuto chose to take the unconscious Sakura to an abandoned cave for precisely that reason.

Two days ago she had laid on the forest floor covered in blood. He had healed her for his own reasons. She needed to stay alive. The typical, analytical mind of his yearned to question these feelings, but the rational side of him said it didn't matter. For now, his common sense would win over. However, he knew he was not able to ignore it forever.

Each step made down the thin, winding corridor was slow and patient. The outside world was lifeless and still, but it was also very cold. This particular cave was in a forest that rarely knew sunlight and experienced the effects of winter first. The chill easily seeped inside the cave walls that lacked insulation to block it out. He shivered lightly, knowing he would soon be in need of a blanket. However, he didn't bother to return to his room yet. It was time to visit his prisoner.

Although he called her such, her living conditions hardly met the term. She was not chained or tied down. She had free time to herself and a bed, which may seem uncomfortable, but was better than her other options. He doubted she realized how unfortunate her situation could have been.

Although she hadn't woken up in over 48 hours, it was probably best for her. It gave her wounds time to heal and began to, albeit slowly, regain chakra. It didn't concern him when she would awake. Still, he had quietly checked her room every couple of hours, mostly out of curiosity. He had seen her sleeping figure enough times to assume he would see it again. When he finally arrived at her door, quietly undid the seal, and walked in, it surprised him to see her kneeling on the floor, perfectly awake.

He stared at her for a moment. She looked as if she attempted to move, and failed. Not only had she been beaten in battle, but had suffered brutal strikes and multiple broken bones by the annoying Uchiha boy. His sakura appeared weaker than ever in front of him now. Eventually the male broke eye contact with her to shut the door behind him. It clicked softly in place, however he did not redo the seal. He knew she didn't have the energy to escape, so there was no need in wasting his. When he turned back around, his eyes avoided hers.

He was so very tempted to taunt her. There were so many things he could use against her and easily prove how weak she was. She would be rather easy to insult now, although no doubt she would still be stubborn as ever. As he approached her, he honestly considered the words that came so close to spilling from his lips. Even as he knelt in front of her, the biggest part of him was looking for the right insult to throw. However, a smaller part instinctively came out instead.

"How are you feeling? I assume your breathing is back to normal, which is the biggest sign of successful recovery in this situation." he began, narrowing his eyes slightly as he reached out towards one of her legs. The natural warmth of her skin against his chilled hand registered in his mind for a fraction of a second, however quickly dissipated. Thoughts fueled his medical purpose at the moment. "However, your bones, specifically your legs, are another story entirely."

A small, almost playful smirk appeared on his lips as he looked at her, meeting her eyes once more. "I'm sure you already know that, though."

He should have avoided her gaze, for the emerald in her eyes sparkled in such a way that annoyed him. He hastily pulled his hand away, any hint of playfulness disappearing completely. How had he so easily forgotten who he was dealing with? This was his annoying, inconvenient cherry blossom, much more than some pathetically injured girl. He pushed up his glasses, yet anger was still very clear.

"Do you realize how much trouble you've caused me? Much more than you're worth. Now I'm stuck here.. alone with you. The only benefit is that I no longer have to deal with that arrogant Uchiha. I'm half tempted to drop you off at your pathetic village. I can't have you alive and free though, otherwise Orochimaru sama will be even more unhappy with me than he already is."

He turned his head away and sighed angrily. How dare she involve herself like this and get him caught up in a mess that was this much trouble?


	32. Chapter 32

**Sakura**

* * *

Sakura let out a small sigh as she began to try and get up once more. The thing that stopped her was the clicking of the door in front of her. Widened and slightly frightened emerald orbs darted to the doorway, landing on none other than her captor, that arrogant and probably pissed off silver haired boy.

"Kabuto san..." she managed to mumble, anger seeping into her tone as she did so.

Their eyes met and immediately, the young woman wished they hadn't. The deep, almost colorless eyes of Kabuto bored into the lubricant shades of green that belonged to the pink haired kunoichi. It made her sick. She was so very angry. _Why am I so mad at him..?_ she wondered, thinking over her situation very carefully. It was true that she was being held captive, very much so against her will, but her conditions were far better than they could have been. That made her wonder just what was going on once more.

"How are you feeling? I assume your breathing is back to normal, which is the biggest sign of successful recovery in this situation.".

Kabuto's demeanor as well as his words irked the young cherry blossom before him. "However, your bones, specifically your legs, are another story entirely. I'm sure you already know that, though." She didn't quite catch the playful smirk that followed his words, nor did she care to. She was not in the mood to even **pretend** to be playful. There was too much anger for that. _Just what is he getting at..?_ she thought again, staring right back into his eyes with her own wildly fierce gaze. If her hues had been able to emit a laser beam, the young man before her would be blind.

"I am feeling better, not that it explains why you care...Don't give me that spiel about it being the medic in you, because I'm not buying it...And of course I know that my legs aren't in good shape. If I remember correctly, it was Sasuke kun who broke them...Yes, I believe that was it..." Sakura's words were icy and cruel, a hint of sarcasm laced in at the end. It was better that way.

After all of the hell that she'd been put through before and was sure to be put through while she was here, her remorse was nonexistent. _He can get over it...I swear if he starts lecturing me about being ru-_ Her thoughts were interrupted by something that made her anger multiply tenfold. _What did he just say?! The nerve of that four eyed jerk!_ Kabuto had pushed up his glasses so that, even with the dim light in the room, the glare hid his emotions. However, his anger was apparent and obvious in his tone.

"Do you realize how much trouble you've caused me? Much more than you're worth. Now I'm stuck here.. alone with you. The only benefit is that I no longer have to deal with that arrogant Uchiha. I'm half tempted to drop you off at your pathetic village. I can't have you alive and free though, otherwise Orochimaru sama will be even more unhappy with me than he already is." _That's IT!_ Oh, Sakura was mad. Hell hath no fury like Sakura angry because this boy was about to get his ass handed to him on a silver platter. Swiftly and without thinking, the young woman rose to her feet. It was painful as hell, which was made apparent by the smallest hint of pain that flashed in her eyes for a split second, but she did it nonetheless.

"You arrogant little...You are blaming _me_ for this?! I didn't ask you to kidnap me, four eyes! If I'm not mistaken, you were supposed to kill me, not that I am complaining about being alive, as I rather like living, but that's not the point! You are so wrapped up in yourself and your damn Orochimaru 'sama' that you can honestly just sit there and tell me that this whole mess is my fault! I didn't do any of this, it was all you, so don't you DARE blame me again, or I swear to Kami, the next time I can properly use my chakra, I'll hit you so hard that big head of yours will spin! Maybe it will even knock some of the hot air out of it!".

Growling in sheer rage, Sakura fell back onto the bed behind her, out of breath and still not done. Oh she was mad. Kabuto had made the wrong move by blaming her for this. Her emerald hues closed for a split second before snapping back open and narrowing to an intensity unrivaled by anything.

"If you wanted to drop me off in Konoha, I'd be ecstatic! You still seem to be under some sort of delusion that you own me and that you control everything I do! Well guess what, four eyes, I've said it once and I will say it again. You. Are. Wrong! I don't know why you didn't kill me, nor do I care. The sooner I escape you and go home, the sooner I can forget this ever happened..."

Now a little calmer, the kunoichi took in a deep breath and held her spinning head in her hands. _Kami, that was not a good idea..._ The wall behind her was cold and she shivered slightly from the obvious chill in the air, but it felt good against her sweating body. _I really shouldn't lose my temper like that...It was probably just some big amusement for him...and now my legs hurt even worse than before...Kami, I've got to keep my emotions in check...It doesn't matter why he didn't kill me, all that matters is me escaping and kicking his teeth in before I do so..._.

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

_I got him..There's no way he survived tha- K-Ke nani?!_ Sasuke's blood red eyes narrowed in anger as his older brother caught the head on attack. Obviously, it did some damage and blood trickled down the blade and onto the forest floor below. The burns were pretty severe and Sasuke could feel that things were finally turning around in his favor. Itachi was weak and now was the time to end him. _It's over, nii san..._ he thought, a smirk forming on his pale, chapped lips. As soon as he pulled back to deal another blow, however, Itachi took off. _Shimata!_

"Maybe next time, Sasuke" was all that the raven heard before his brother sped off into the distance.

_No way! I'm not letting you escape that easily! I waited too long for this...Trained too hard..._ His determination was like fire and in anger and blind rage, Sasuke took off after his older brother. "You're not going to escape, Itachi!" he yelled, quickening his steps so as not to lose him. _No way...There's no way! I can't lose him. I can't...I have to kill him...I am an avenger!_.

* * *

**Itachi**

* * *

Itachi ran. He was never one of stamina, but he was certainly one of speed. One of the fastest men alive, in fact. Most definitely faster than Sasuke, despite the great speed his brother had accomplished within the past few years. So he jumped deep into the trees, making himself hidden from view as often as possible, and continued to run. But eventually, Sasuke did catch up to him. Sort of. The moment his little brother made contact, the clone dispersed into many crows. Although Itachi knew he had escaped his brother this time, he was also aware that there was still more to come. "Until next time.."

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

"I am feeling better, not that it explains why you care...Don't give me that spiel about it being the medic in you, because I'm not buying it...And of course I know that my legs aren't in good shape. If I remember correctly, it was Sasuke kun who broke them...Yes, I believe that was it..."

"Ah yes..the Uchiha. I think we're both glad to be rid of that nuisance. As for caring, you misjudge the situation. I don't care about you as a person, I care about you as my possession..and really, you ought to use a more respectful tone of voice with me. I did, in fact, save your life..but I can easily end it right here."

Kabuto was rather enjoying this game of chess because so far she had been able to avoid most of his traps. Some pieces had been moved by him unknowingly in motivation of Orochimarus beliefs, yet all seemed to be working out now. Sakura was, quite literally, all his. Why he wanted her as his own didn't matter, even though secretly his wanted to know the answer. Judging by her question, she seemed to be in the same situation as he was. It wasn't important to either of them.. just simple curiousity.

The next words that followed seemed to really affect her. She suddenly shot up on her feet despite her injuries. The pain was obvious, even as she hid it from the emotion in her eyes and replaced it with impeccable fury.

"You arrogant little...You are blaming me for this?"

_Obviously..did you not hear me the first time?_

"I didn't ask you to kidnap me, four eyes! If I'm not mistaken, you were supposed to kill me, not that I am complaining about being alive, as I rather like living, but that's not the point!"

_Oh dear..that annoying nickname again. You should really consider being grateful. Don't make me.._

"You are so wrapped up in yourself and your damn Orochimaru 'sama' that you can honestly just sit there and tell me that this whole mess is my fault! I didn't do any of this, it was all you, so don't you DARE blame me again, or I swear to Kami, the next time I can properly use my chakra, I'll hit you so hard that big head of yours will spin! Maybe it will even knock some of the hot air out of it!".

"Very..scary. I am honestly shaking in fear."

Growling and grumbling, huffing and puffing in annoyance, he watched as she angrily flung herself back on her bed. He couldn't tell if she was about to start crying or screaming, but either of which was annoying. Apparently, she wasn't finished. She chose to yell at him some more, which almost amused him. It mostly just annoyed him though. _Remind me again why I chose her as my own little plaything?_

"If you wanted to drop me off in Konoha, I'd be ecstatic!"

_Were you not listening..? I specifically explained how delighted I'd be. If only I could._

"You still seem to be under some sort of delusion that you own me and that you control everything I do! Well guess what, four eyes, I've said it once and I will say it again. You. Are. Wrong!"

_Delusion? Isn't it obvious that you're mine? And again with that nickname..! She's lucky I'm smart enough to stay silent for the moment._

"I don't know why you didn't kill me, nor do I care. The sooner I escape you and go home, the sooner I can forget this ever happened..."

_She actually thinks she can escape.._ he concluded in his thoughts. He couldn't hold the insane laughter back any longer. It burst out of his lungs, sick and darkly humorous. He continued to mock her with this sadistic noise as she attempted to calm herself with a breath, while he had no more breath to spare. He continued on until his lungs were completely empty to the point of pain. Then suddenly, his entire face calmed and he stared at her. Stared at this intriguing, ridiculous girl who actually thought her words were rational. And then slowly, he approached her as she sat on the bed.

"Sakura..let me share a secret with you." a small smile with a hint of anger laced in it slowly appeared. "You see..if not for me, you would be dead right now. I don't need any words of thanks so please feel free to hold it back. The only thing I ask is that you respect me a bit more while you live here. You are a guest. Honestly, I could throw you outside into the cold, heartless winter. But I doubt you'd know where to escape to. We are very far from the place you call home. You would simply freeze to death. And as we've established..I'm not ready to kill you just yet. But..if you don't show me a bit of respect..well, I have no problem cutting your body up until it is unrecognizable. Do we understand each other?"

He leaned closer to her in an intimidating fashion, his face inches from her. A smirk was obvious in his features as he let out a small, curious chuckle. _Interesting..it really does spike my curiosity as to why I so desperately want her around. She could be worse, I suppose. _

He knew he was acting a bit harsher than he had been towards her lately, but it was necessary. He already made the mistake of keeping her around, now he had to turn it into an advantage by gaining his ground. And when it was time, he would kill her and return to Orochimaru.

He would.

At least, that's what he thought. Things never seemed to go as expected, though..because this place was not where she died, but the place where they shared certain forbidden memories of kindness.


	33. Chapter 33

Thank you all so much for reading. If you've stuck with it this far, or just now starting to read, you're pretty awesome. We love every single one of you. Please review, constructive criticism is very welcome! Tell us where you think the story will go, and feel free to ask any questions and tell us what you think. Enjoy the chapter~

* * *

**Sasuke**

* * *

Sasuke ran as fast as he could. He knew he had him this time. Closer and closer he got until he was able to reach out and touch his brother's largely recognizable cloak with the red clouds. As soon as he realized this, he leaped forward to attack, tackling the figure to the forest floor, only to find that it was another clone of crows. The birds dispersed leaving the raven haired male on the ground, dirt on his face and blood on his arms. He'd hit the ground pretty hard.

Now Sasuke was mad. "Ee eh!" he shouted, growling under his breath.

Itachi had gotten away and now he had to go back to Sound and face the others with the knowledge that he'd failed. He only hoped that he wouldn't see Kabuto, for that's the one who would mock him the most.

_[ Did I mention that by the time I got back and realized that four eyes was gone, it was about half a day later? I'd somehow managed to get myself lost in the deep woods and it took me awhile to find my way back. The news that he'd disappeared with Sakura chan was surprising, to say the least. It began a string of chain reactions that seemed to happen all at once. ]_

* * *

**Sakura**

* * *

"Ah yes..the Uchiha. I think we're both glad to be rid of that nuisance." that annoying Kabuto spit out at her.

_I'll be even more glad once I've rid myself of __**both**__ nuisances.._.

"As for caring, you misjudge the situation. I don't care about you as a person, I care about you as my possession..". he continued. Apparently he had to try to explain himself.

"I did not accuse you of caring about me as a person, though I am most certainly not your possession...". she clarified.

"And really, you ought to use a more respectful tone of voice with me. I did, in fact, save your life..but I can easily end it right here.".

"If you were going to end it, you'd have done it when Orochimaru ordered you to". she continued.

_Baka four eyes..._.

Sakura was literally shaking in anger from head to toe. So infuriated was the young woman, in fact, that she almost did not notice the small sarcastic comment that was thrown in there when she had threatened to cause him physical harm. Almost. "Very..scary. I am honestly shaking in fear."

That was it. Even though she had managed to slightly calm herself, the fiery kunoichi narrowed her emerald eyes and spat venom.

"You'll be shaking once I'm done with you.." she mumbled in a rage, folding her arms and trying to calm herself down.

Her heart was literally in pain from her anger, and in her still slightly wounded state, she needed to get it under control. She inhaled sharply, exhaled deeply, closed her eyes for a split second, but then snapped them back open in alarm. The cause? Insane laughter, quite literally. For the smallest of moments, Sakura thought she had broken the silver-haired medic and he'd gone absolutely nuts. Scooting away, the young woman cleared her throat and gave a sort of concerned glance in his direction before reminding herself that he was probably laughing at her, or rather what she'd said. That in itself was infuriating.

Suddenly, as soon as it had come, the laughter ceased and there was silence. Kabuto's face turned very serious and he got closer to the young woman, who instinctively backed into the wall behind her, clenching her fists in sheer, unadulterated, raw anger.

"Sakura..let me share a secret with you." a small smile with a hint of anger laced in it slowly appeared as the young man continued. Sakura's emerald hues widened in surprise, but she did not lose the ferocity in her gaze. "You see..if not for me, you would be dead right now."

_I would almost rather be dead than to be here with you anyway, four eyes..._

"I don't need any words of thanks so please feel free to hold it back."

_That certainly will not be a problem, as I have no intention whatsoever of thanking you..._

"The only thing I ask is that you respect me a bit more while you live here. You are a guest."

_Respect you? You call me a guest, and yet guests are free to leave when they wish..._

"Honestly, I could throw you outside into the cold, heartless winter. But I doubt you'd know where to escape to. We are very far from the place you call home. You would simply freeze to death."

_I'll take my chances..._

"And as we've established..I'm not ready to kill you just yet. But..if you don't show me a bit of respect..well, I have no problem cutting your body up until it is unrecognizable. Do we understand each other?"

The last part left the young kunoichi speechless, but not for long.

"I find myself not able to believe a few of your words. You need not worry about me thanking you for 'saving my life' as you call it, because I have no issue not thanking you. If you were going to kill me, you'd have done it when you had the chance. As for showing you respect, of all people, you really expect me to do that? Go ahead and cut my body, not like you haven't done it before. The thing that pisses you off more than anything is that you know that no matter what you do, I am not afraid of you. You could bring me to death several times over and I won't make a sound. I won't give you the satisfaction of knowing you caused me pain. So, as I said before, 'four eyes' " Sakura put emphasis on the hated nickname, a small smirk forming on her lips as she regained her composure and confidence

"Check."

_In fact, just to piss you off further, I am going to only refer to you as four eyes for the next twenty-four hours..Still think I'm afraid of what you could do to me? Ha!_.

_[ E-Eh...I suppose it's a little late to say gomenasai for the way I acted back then. To be fair, you were being rather obnoxious yourself and it was getting on my nerves. Eto, I'm also sorry for that punch I gave you the next day, demo you had it coming. Daisuki. {Insert nervous laughter here.} ]_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

The beginnings of a chilly night were upon them on this evening in the land of snow. Despite the cave walls that protected them from the raging snowstorm that was almost a constant in this dreary environment, it did little good in shielding them from the frigid cold that could be felt deep within a person's flesh. Kabuto shivered lightly, as much from the cold as from the surprisingly intense anger that emanated from the kunoichi mere inches in front of him with the distinctive, rather improbable, and highly impractical pink hair. This shouldn't surprise him. Honestly, he expected her rather..for lack of a better word..pissy mood. In fact, _he_ shared that mood, although for a better justified reason. What left him befuddled was that she totally, completely, without a doubt, _read_ him. Dare he say, somewhat _understood_ him. This annoying plaything of his always seemed to know why he did what he did. And damn it, that smirk of hers. Worse, she knew how to bother, anger, and frustrate him to no end. His cherry blossom even wrapped it all up and tied a beautifully twisted bow around the entire package by using that dreaded, god awful nickname.

He did, however, gain a small satisfaction in his own ability to piss her off. If she was so adament on remaining so fearless, or at least acting like so, at least he could leave her practically seething in anger. So although at first he fumed with extreme anger at her words, the emotion soon bubbled over to a cruel, sadistic smile that rivaled even the most devious of people. Why? He realized that he could still have fun. He would have his fun, and when she was all used up he would slaughter her without remorse. And _then_ every small, pathetic moment of weakness he had experienced with her before would be forgotten. He wouldn't have to deal with that any longer. It was the permanent fix to his temporary problem.

He had her back pressed up against the wall, and even better, she was still on her bed in such a vulnerable position. If he were a different kind of person, and if this was anyone but her, his mind might be in a completely different place. All he could think of was the amount of suffering he would put her through.

He leaned closer, pressing one palm into the chilly wall to the right of her head to balance himself properly as well as, essentially, trap her. They were only an inch or so apart now, and he looked directly into those emerald orbs of hers that narrowed with anger. His eyes didn't share that emotion, but instead glistened with delight. His smile grew, undertones of a lurking darkness creeping into each corner.

"Oh Sakura _chan.._ you truly don't know when to shut up. What a waste. You have so much talent, so many possibilities, yet you waste it all. _That_ is why you're weak. _That_ is why you're going to die.. all alone and by my bare hands."

An amused chuckle escaped his lips. In that very same second, the sharp blade of a cool metal kunai pressed into her neck just enough to barely draw blood.

"Or..maybe not just with my hands. It's so much more fun this way. Don't worry..I wont kill you yet. Originally, I had planned to keep you alive..but you haven't been a good girl lately, have you?"

The weapon slowly trailed her collarbone, breaking the skin in the process.

"Since you so kindly gave me permission to cut you up..well, that is exactly what I'm going to do."

_Cut away the problem..cut away the problem and get rid of her. Slowly, of course..do it over a couple of weeks. Make her pay.._ he told himself. To any mind reader, he would have sounded quite insane. Maybe a part of him was. But oh, he blamed her. He had to, because there was no way he could blame himself. He had stopped that a long, long time ago. And it was her fault, anyways. She had come in and tempted him to keep around such a nuisance. Her stubborn nature interested him, and _kami_ that pissed him off.

His thoughts only reminded him further of why he was doing this, and he reacted by pushing the kunai deeper in her skin, holding the handle firmly as he twisted it. His body forced its way closer, not for the physical contact that he couldn't care less about, but to stop any of her struggling. He knew she would probably try to fight back any second, really he did, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try to prevent it. The blade continued on its path, this time moving up her neck and to her chin, and he forcibly pushed her head up with it so she would look straight at him

Perhaps this move wasn't his smartest, because something in her eyes made him almost want to stop. He didn't know why, because considering how clearly her hate for him reflected in her colored irises he should be more intent on making her _really_ scream. He shivered once more, frowning slightly, as the cold striked him once more and his hot blooded sadism momentarily disappeared. For a second, the pressure he put on the blade diminished. But no. He would _not_ allow this. There was no way he would let her get to him again. He pushed into her flesh once more, this time with twice the pressure, and watched as her crimson blood poured from the wounds he created along her neck. Knowing that this was his doing filled his entire being with a sense of pride..and just a tad bit of something else. Something he vowed to completely and utterly ignore.

He backed away from her, deciding that this needed a bit of a..change. Cutting her up just wasn't fulfilling the desire within him. He didn't know what else to do..besides change the game up a little. Maybe she had gotten that _"check"_ she so desired, but it was so easy to counter that he had to do something. He had to get her hopes up so he could crash them all down. He calmly backed away until his back met with the door, crossing his arms. He stared at her like this for a moment before using one hand to firmly press his glasses up and the other to very casually toss his kunai at her.

"Consider it an act of kindness towards the enemy, but I really hate to break and beat you so easily." he explained, tempted to feign a yawn just to prove how easy this was, "Although, frankly speaking, you're in no shape to fight me. Considering your legs, you'd have to crawl and stumble over here just to get the chance to attack. So..how about I just let you keep the kunai for a later date. There's no rush." he suggested, chuckling slightly.

He turned his back to her, facing the door. "I hope you don't do something silly like try to kill yourself. Suicide isn't your style, cherry blossom. Please have patience, death will come to you soon. I apologize for such an agonizing wait, but really, its necessary".

_Is it necessary because of revenge, or for the fun of it, or maybe because you still can't kill her?_ he asks himself.

_..Perhaps a bit of all three?_


	34. Chapter 34

**Sakura**

* * *

"Oh Sakura chan.. you truly don't know when to shut up. What a waste. You have so much talent, so many possibilities, yet you waste it all. That is why you're weak. That is why you're going to die.. all alone and by my bare hands.".

His words annoyed and infuriated her. They were so close now, merely inches apart. Sakura's emerald irises only reflected hatred and malice in those moments. As he drew closer to her, trapping her from any hope of escape and any kind of personal space, she placed a bit of chakra into her fist. It was still somewhat raised off of her bed so she took the opportunity to jab him in the gut whilst the stinging feeling of cold metal made its way to her collarbone. Oh it hurt, Kami it hurt. Sakura simply glared at the male before her with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. The kunoichi wanted to say something, do something to make him stop, to make the pain go away, and yet, she didn't. There was a small part of her that felt something 'different' from this kind of pain. Pushing that thought and feeling away, however, the young woman cleared her throat as if this were something of business and not what it actually was.

"You know, I'm getting pretty tired of this, four eyes." she stated with a sigh, almost as if she were bored.

_That will piss him off and show him he can't mess with me...He's probably still just mad that Sasuke kun hurt me more than he ever has or ever could..._

"You say I'm weak, and yet I believe I've proven you wrong on many occasions."

Trying to adjust herself so that this was not _quite_ as uncomfortable, she pressed herself further into the kunai, causing more blood to spill and that sensation she felt earlier to come back. Sakura was going to show him that it didn't matter what he did because he couldn't break her will.

"You say you're going to kill me, and yet I don't see you doing that either. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you were told to."

She pressed herself even further into the cold metal, which stung like hell and felt amazing at the same time.

"However, you say that I don't know when to shut up, and that may be true. Naruto kun and Kakashi sensei say that of me often."

The young woman shrugged her shoulders as if this were nothing more than a game to her, and it kind of was at the moment. _This is simply to prove a point. Go ahead and keep cutting me if you want, I'll help you push the damn blade in..._.

_"Is that because it feels good..?"_.

_It doesn't feel good! It definitely feels odd, demo I don't like it! Are you nuts?!"_.

_"Baka, the amount of pressure that the blade is putting on you now should have you at least hissing in pain, and yet you seem to be enjoying it.."_.

_"..."_.

"Or..maybe not just with my hands. It's so much more fun this way. Don't worry..I wont kill you yet. Originally, I had planned to keep you alive..but you haven't been a good girl lately, have you?"

His words made the young woman twitch in anger once more and her furious irises narrowed even further.

"Again with that weird talk. I'm not a pet or a toy, dammit! Stop it with this 'be a good girl' crap because it's annoying...As for your 'original plan,' I don't believe you. However, it would indeed explain why you didn't kill me. If your simple intention was to keep me alive so that you could screw with me, your ass is going to be in a world of pain. I'm getting quite tired of this and when I escape, I'll be sure to kick your face in a couple of times just to make sure you get the message that I'm a human being and won't stand to be treated as anything less...".

See, the thing was that Kabuto was right. Sakura indeed did not know when to just be quiet. Any ninja with even the smallest ounce of intelligence would have just stayed quiet, waited until he left, and then plotted their escape. They'd not let his words get to them either, nor would they let it show that it 'had' gotten to them, even if, in truth, they'd done so. Her words seemed to infuriate him and that was when the pink haired kunoichi began to slightly regret her words and actions. She was only making this harder on herself and yet, she couldn't stop. This was still _fun_ in a very weird way to her. Not being cut up, of course, but the simple fact that she knew what kind of hold she had on the angry male so close to her. _This_ was her advantage, and _this_ was what she would continue to use against him, until it no longer worked, or she no longer cared.

The blade doubled its pressure, forcing itself past the tender flesh like a hot knife through butter. Sakura remained unaffected by it, except for the smallest hint of pain that flashed in her glistening orbs for a split second before disappearing back into the dark abyss of her mind.

"Since you so kindly gave me permission to cut you up..well, that is exactly what I'm going to do." he bragged.

_"You really need to learn when to just shut up..."_ Sakura's inner self scolded her as it hissed in pain from the inside.

_"Make it stop! Apologize, do something!"_.

_Urasai! I will do no such thing! I'm not sorry. I'll __**NEVER**__ be sorry for what I've said or done to him..._.

_"Baka! He's going to kill us if you don't stop it! Whatever happened to playing nice and being a good girl?!"_.

_That ended when I was called a possession! Besides, it sounds sexual and weird. Not that I'd ever think that he meant it in that way. Especially not towards me..._.

Finally, when the pain became too much to bear, the young woman hissed and backed away from it as much as possible, which was all about three inches behind her into the wall that he still had her practically pinned to. "Urasai, baka!" she said aloud, meaning to direct that at her inner self and not towards the man in the room with her. Soon after, her chin was forced up before Kabuto stepped back, freeing her from his entrapment as he backed up towards the door, lazily pushing up his glasses with one hand before tossing something at her.

_A kunai...? Is he serious...?_.

"Consider it an act of kindness towards the enemy, but I really hate to break and beat you so easily.".

_WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?!_.

"Although, frankly speaking, you're in no shape to fight me.'.

_Keep running your mouth and I swear to Kami I'll cut you with this!_.

"Considering your legs, you'd have to crawl and stumble over here just to get the chance to attack.".

_Is he insinuating that I won't do it?! Or is this simply a new piece on our board...? What are you up to, Kabuto san...?_.

"So..how about I just let you keep the kunai for a later date. There's no rush. I hope you don't do something silly like try to kill yourself. Suicide isn't your style, cherry blossom. Please have patience, death will come to you soon. I apologize for such an agonizing wait, but really, its necessary.".

The slight chuckle at his own words sent Sakura back into her rage. Oh, now he'd done it. The girl quickly shot some healing chakra into her legs. Just enough so that she could move without pain, temporarily, probably about a minute tops. Rising from her bed, she took the weapon, blood dripping from where it had, only moments ago, inflicted pretty bad wounds upon her. "You think you're beating me? You think you still have the upper hand? You think you just have all the cards in place and that you're making your way so fast across that chess board? I don't think so..." In anger, Sakura bolted forward, wasting no time for her injuries would soon remind her of their existence. The kunai was swiftly thrust into his leg before it was ripped out. The young woman stepped back and narrowed her eyes, surprising even herself as she followed the example of Anko Mitarashi.

She licked the blade, feeling the sweet yet metallic taste on her tongue. It definitely was not something she usually did, but she felt the need to add insult to injury as Kabuto had done to her so many times before, just in the past week. "It's pretty sad. You let your guard down because, once again, you underestimated me. Giving me a weapon just so that you could look superior was pretty dumb of you. Now you get to deal with that pain in your leg and know that I'm the one that caused it. That _weak_ and _fragile_ girl that you have the nerve to refer to as your _possession_ caused you pain and the next time you see me, I'll kill you with it...Not myself, because, like you said..." That was all she managed to say before the temporary fix caused by the chakra diminished.

Sakura fell to her knees, practically choking from both her bleeding injuries and the intense amount of pain that overwhelmed her from her legs. _Shimata!_ she growled internally, trying to focus enough to send more chakra to her legs so that she could at least get up and back to the bed. "Suicide isn't my style...Demo ridding the world of people like you is..." _"You're a baka! Baka, baka, baka! Now you've done it. He's totally going to kill us now. Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?! While he was sitting there gloating, you had the perfect shot at his throat!"_ Sakura only grinned to herself, laughing internally. Why, she had no idea. _Because if I kill him now, what fun is that..?_.

* * *

**Kabuto**

* * *

He forcefully leaned closer to the secretly fragile yet openly stern and unrelenting girl beneath him, not that his offers of mercy were very plentiful or obvious. She was still alive though, and that was a grace in itself. Kabuto was sure she realized that he didn't know why he spared her, despite his words which said otherwise. And yes, the rationality behind it certainly factored into part of his decision. A large part of what he had done, however, was pure instinct. He had wanted, dare he say needed, her alive. Was that simply for the pleasure of toying with her? He wanted to believe so. It was unlikely, however, because although he enjoyed hurting her it was hard to inflict very serious injuries. Not because she put up a struggle, either. He even went so far as to feel possessive over her. But why?

And why was he questioning himself so much now when he never did before?

He gazed confusingly into the kunoichi's.. _his kunoichi's.._ emerald hues. His feelings were hidden well, as they almost always were. In her eyes he saw a burning, fiery rage and a scalding passion of heated intentions. She was beyond angry. But for a moment, it almost seemed as if she could see through his shielded expression. _Impossible_ he though, dismissing it almost instantly.

His proximity and the words he chose specifically to annoy her was what he suspected drove her over the edge. He definitely felt the chakra packed punch, but it didn't come as much of a surprise to him. He expected her to act irrationally in her emotional state. His piercing blade pressed deeper into her pale, delicate skin at each of her movements, even as her attack shook him for a moment.

"You know, I'm getting pretty tired of this, four eyes"

Her words appeared incredibly bored, as if he wasn't affecting her at all. Yet he didn't believe that. He watched as she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position, or at least a tolerable one considering how close he was. He didn't care for physical contact, nor did it bother him. It was simply another one of his tactics. But then why did a strange feeling course through his veins when every time she breathed, he could feel her skin come so close to touching his? The only way to ignore it was to act normal; he had to tell himself it didn't affect him at all.

Somehow he knew there was some sort of fear behind her boldness, not that she would admit it. She was good at not letting her fear control her. However, she wasn't stable. In fact, she was a little crazed. Angry. Bloodthirsty.

But whose blood was she thirsty for?

He knew she wanted him to stop, no sane person would want to feel his kunai slice through their flesh, yet an unusual look crossed those eyes he had been drawn into earlier..something he couldn't place. Not that it mattered. She wasn't going to get what she wanted.

"Again with that weird talk. I'm not a pet or a toy, dammit! Stop it with this 'be a good girl' crap because it's annoying...As for your 'original plan,' I don't believe you. However, it would indeed explain why you didn't kill me. If your simple intention was to keep me alive so that you could screw with me, your ass is going to be in a world of pain. I'm getting quite tired of this and when I escape, I'll be sure to kick your face in a couple of times just to make sure you get the message that I'm a human being and won't stand to be treated as anything less..."

"Yes, you are a human, but you are still mine. The threats are bold, but futile. You can't do anything."

His blade skimmed her soft skin, slicing it with a soft screech. He dug further and deeper into her body, the sharp point slowly forcing its way two full inches inside of her shoulder before moving towards her neck. His eyes scanned for her reaction, noticing every shot of pain that revealed itself through her shining emeralds. Every miniscule flinch that shot through her weary body drove him deeper into a state of pleasure. He began to lose a sense of where he was, who he was with, and what exactly he was doing. All he could think was just how much _fun_ this was. His hands became entangled in her pink hair, gripping it tightly as he pulled her head back. The weapon sank deeper near her collarbone as he did this, and although she made sure to hide it, he could smell the fear on her skin mix with her natural scent. His body instinctively pressed closer to her, closing what little distance had still been left. Each breath of hers was shallow, but he could feel it on his skin. That full contact felt much more intimate than he had ever though possible. The electric buzz shocked his skin, and suddenly she shouted out. Both of these brought him back to his senses and he didn't hesitate to jump back, breaking their contact. He barely even pondered her words; he hadn't been talking, but although it made no sense to him he couldn't think straight right now. He was too shocked over what had just happened, the feeling that had overwhelmed him. His eyes widened slightly, although he did his best to appear guarded. But he had never lost himself so much. He had tortured many people in the past, but never, _never_ did it feel like _that._ It almost worried him. He was one who depended on his control, his rationality, and he had lost that. It was a mixture of pure bliss..and a living hell. She could use this against him, which meant he had a weakness. A vulnerability. And that was very, very bad.

Backing into the door, he attempted to regain complete control. He tossed his kunai over to her. Maybe he had underestimated her, maybe he just wanted to make it a bit more fun. Maybe he just wanted the weapon out of his hands after all that had happened. It was probably a combination of all three. His judgement had been clouded and as a result he hadn't expected her retaliation. Another mistake on his part. He winced slightly, narrowing his eyes as a numbing sensation coursed through his body. When she ripped the blade from his flesh, a lot of blood rushed out to follow.

It was even more unexpected when suddenly her lips met with his kunai, having a taste of his blood as she carefully licked the blade. Such a sadistic act was usually done by someone by him, but not her. He wondered what her true motive was. Would she go this far just to prove a point? Just to aggravate him?

_I know I would._

Suddenly, pain seemed to finally register within her. She collapsed, her legs giving in due to the strain she had placed on them when they were already heavily damaged. And frankly, she looked pathetic. Just as pathetic as he probably did, giving her his weapon and having it turned against him.

"Suicide isn't my style...Demo ridding the world of people like you is..."

Was she asking to be killed? His leg may be injured, but both her legs were in much worse shape. He didn't need his kunai to hurt her again. However, he didn't really want to. There was no motivation, other than making her apologize, and he didn't need to hear that. He was back to rational thinking. Sort of. He sighed softly.

"Rid the world of people like me? I suppose the world might be a better place."

His back slid down the door, allowing himself into a more comfortable position so he could properly heal himself. His hand hovered over the wound, assessing the damage and apply the right amount of healing chakra and repairing the torn skin until the bleeding ceased.

"That kunai seemed to be double-edged, you hurt both of us that time. How reckless..yet intriguing. You would go to such great lengths to get some revenge on me? You're reminding me of the Uchiha, not the calm and calculating kunoichi you have the potential to be."

In his own, twisted way he had complimented her. Whether or not she saw it that way wasn't important. He was acknowledging she wasn't entirely hopeless and would never be an easy opponent, even if he had tied her up. He continued to watch her, considering what he should do next. Rationally, he should just leave her here as is. She would be in a lot of pain and learn her lesson. But..he had always been drawn to heal her, for reasons he didn't know. The respect he had for medic nin, even on opposing sides, must have run deep. Or maybe, just maybe, having her alive and well wasn't so bad. Cutting her up to rid himself of these problems didn't work when he ended up enjoying it so much. That was just as much of a problem as his emotions.

Without thinking about the consequences and the possibility of it being a complete mistake, he stood up. His leg was fine now, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he began to approach her, and didn't even hesitate to kneel next to her and reach out for her right leg. His hand again glowed with healing chakra, and for once he was completely silent. There were no sarcastic remarks this time.

_Have I gone completely mad? _

_Well now, its hard to become something that I've already been for so long._


End file.
